THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



probably will, accumulate much rubbish as a 

 monument of your own conceit. A great deal 

 may be learnt from books, but more from 

 observation. Above all, do not, when you 

 have acquired some knowledge, form too 

 high an estimate of your own powers and of 

 your own cats ; a true fancier is always ready 

 nay, anxious to learn, well recognising that 

 ignorance alone claims to be omniscient. 



LOCAL SHOWS. 



As an example of the ever-increasing interest 

 shown in cat sections at local shows, the fol- 

 lowing account, kindly supplied to me by Mr. 

 F. W. Western, the secretary, will be of in- 

 terest : 



" Sandy Show has long since outgrown in 

 size and importance the title it bears, viz. 

 ' The Exhibition of the Sandy and District 

 Floral and Horticultural Society.' Tne first 

 schedule, issued in 1869, catered for plants, 

 flowers, fruit, vegetables, poultry, and cage 



birds. In 1880 pigeons were introduced, and 

 in 1883 rabbits were added. Later, in 1899, 

 dogs put in an appearance with four classes. 

 It was not, however, until 1894 that our friend 

 ' pussy,' in whom we are especially interested, 

 made her debut at Sand}', and as we look at 

 the schedule for that year we are driven to 

 the conclusion that none but a philosopher 

 could have drawn up such a classification for 

 our pets. The trouble which we now fre- 

 quently experience at a cat show of being 

 ' wrong classed ' could not well arise on that 

 happy day in August 1894, when eight catteries 

 were represented in the one and only class, viz. 

 ' Any variety, any age, male or female.' But 

 if our pets made a modest bow to the public 

 in that year, they have lived to be proud of 

 their position. In the succeeding year three 

 classes were provided, bringing together 31 

 cats. From this date the cat classes have 

 shown substantial improvement. The year 

 1900 found Sandy with five classes and 41 



OFFICIALS OF THE N.C.C.C. 

 (Photo: Mrs. G. H. Walker.} 



