THE VARIETIES 21 



blackness, though many have a distinct rusty 

 tinge, especially noticeable in direct sunlight. 



If black cats are exposed to the heat of the sun, 

 they soon get a rusty colour. 



When judging these cats, never do so by artificial 

 light. The presence of white hairs constitutes a 

 disqualifying feature, especially upon the feet or 

 about the face being least objectionable when 

 upon the chest. Unscrupulous exhibitors some- 

 times resort to dying in order to overcome this 

 fault. 



The individual hair should be fine, and the whole 

 coat be possessed of a brilliant lustre. 



Eyes an intense orange a light eye being a 

 common fault. 



The durability of the black and its special 

 suitability for the town has made it exceedingly 

 popular, and the enormous number of black cats 

 attests public opinion in this respect, but of course 

 there are good, bad, and indifferent specimens 

 the two last-named being the commonest. 



The Red or Sandy. 



Both these colours, which in reality are but 

 shades of one and the same colour, are less 

 frequently met with than the black, and are not 

 as durable as the latter for a town cat. The 

 deep rich red is preferable to the light or sandy, 



