SIAMESE CATS. 



267 



the subject of considerable discussion and 

 argument, some preferring the straight tail and 

 some the kinked. The former is surely the 

 most to be desired for appearance sake ; but 

 the latter undeniably adds to the quaint and 

 foreign appearance of the cat, and in Hong- 

 Kong preference is given to them and higher 

 prices paid for ' kinks.' The eyes should be 

 large and luminous, of a bright shade of true 

 blue, appearing flame-coloured at night or by 



retained her pale colouring and her well- 

 defined points to the last, and was the mother 

 of many very beautiful kittens. Male cats are 

 generally larger than females, and possess 

 voices, which demand instant attention. 



" The chocolate Siamese are of a rich choco- 

 late or dark seal, with still more intense points. 

 These cats usually possess eyes of rich amber. 

 I have Miss Forestier-Walker's kind permis- 

 sion to utilise the following most interesting 



THE LATE " KING KESHO." 

 (Photo : Phillips, Croydon.) 



artificial light ; good specimens are often 

 spoilt by small eyes, pale in colour. There 

 appear to be two distinct types the compactly 

 built, short in body, short on legs, and round 

 in head ; and the long-bodied, long-faced, 

 lithe, sinuous, and peculiarly foreign-looking 

 variety. I am informed that the small cats 

 are held in great esteem in Siam, some of the 

 females being quite liliputian. It is a matter 

 for regret that as the cat ages the beautiful 

 clear cream colouring becomes cloudy and dark. 

 There have been exceptions to this rule : the 

 late ' Polyphema,' owned by Mrs. Vyvyan, 



and hitherto unpublished extract from a 

 letter received by her in October, 1902 : 

 ' I am very pleased to write and give you 

 the following information re Siamese cats. 

 During a stay of some thirteen years in the 

 Straits Settlements I have visited Siam on 

 several occasions, and on one of these visits 

 the present King of Siam gave a friend of mine 

 a pair of cats. These cats were what the King 

 called palace cats, were very valuable and 

 perfect specimens, with short twisted tails. It 

 may also interest you to know that the Siamese 

 have a superstition about their cats, and like 



