MANX CATS. 



of gristle or hair, as found in many of the best 

 specimens, though in itself but a very trifling 

 defect, detracts from this typical ' rumpy ' 

 appearance, by giving a more or less angular 

 appearance to the hind quarters, unless, that is, 

 it be situated so far back between the hip- 

 bones that it in no way projects. As typical 

 specimens showing this rumpy formation to 

 perfection, I may mention the late ' Champion 

 and Premier Katzenjammer,' and ' Balloch- 

 myle Bell Stump,' probably two of the best 

 ever seen in this respect. Had these two been 

 mated, what glorious progeny should have 

 resulted. Now these two cats, whilst possessing 

 the round rumpy formation to perfection, did 

 not excel so much in length of hind leg, and 

 for superlative excellence in this property we 

 must turn to another celebrated couple, the 

 late silver tabby ' Champion and Premier Bon- 

 haki ' and 'King Clinkie,' who has just passed 

 into the possession of Lady Marcus Beresford, 

 and who at the age of about fifteen months 

 has already twice won championship awards. 

 Now, these two cats exhibited the great length 

 of hind leg which gave them when in motion 

 the desired comical rabbity action ; but 

 in roundness of rump they lost to the 

 other two, being somewhat more an- 

 gular. 



' To gain absolute perfection we re- 

 quire roundness of nlmp united to great: 

 length of hind leg. These are the great 

 characteristics of the Manx, to which 

 every Manx judge worthy of the name 

 will attach the greatest importance. Then 

 come other body properties shortness of 

 back, general cobbmess, roundness of 

 skull, small ears, shortness of face ; then, 

 last of all, colour. And here it is that 

 the average all-round judge goes astray, 

 for in too many cases he attaches too 

 much weight to colour, a good instance 

 of which occurred when ' Ballochmyle 

 Bell Stump,' above referred to, whose 

 colour, though quaint, is not very pleasing, 

 was placed below a long-cast cat of a taking 

 'Colour, but in no wise a typical Manx. 



"As I before remarked, colour should be 



considered last. I think a good black is the 

 nicest colour for a Manx, and, of course, the 

 eyes should be of the colour sought for in 

 ordinary black cats. A pure blue-eyed white 

 is very pretty, and also very scarce. Tabby- 

 and-white I personally do not care for. Silver 

 tabbies are uncommon and very handsome. 

 Tortoiseshells are also pretty and quaint. 



" The fur of the Manx should be just a little 

 longer and softer than that of the ordinary 

 short-haired cat. Now and then we see long- 

 haired -Manx advertised, but these are, of 

 course, mongrels or abortions, and by no means 

 Manx cats. 



" What is the origin of the Manx ? That is 

 a question which in all probability will never 

 be answered. The theory that it originated 

 from a cat (or cats) having lost its tail by 

 accident I do not consider worth a moment's 

 consideration. Such a cat might well have 

 tailless progeny, but that would have nothing 

 to do with the abnormal length of the hind 

 legs, which in good specimens is patent to the 

 most superficial observer, and which makes 

 the gambols of a couple of Manx a comical 



MANX CAT. 



(Photo: Gambier Ballon, F.Z.S. [Rcgil.].) 



sight calculated to excite laughter in the most 

 mournfully disposed person. 



" Quaint is the old versified explanation, 

 which I remember hearing some years ago. 



