43 



GAFFER CAT. 



Felis caff r a. 



The Gaffer Cat is an inhabitant of the Cape ; it is of a 

 dun yellow-grey colour, with brown or spotted markings, 

 more or less abundant ; the cheeks and sides are redder ; 

 sometimes it is of a light blue colour, the tail is rather 

 short, ringed with black, especially near the tip ; the fur 

 is soft, and the ears are of an ochre-red colour, but 

 sometimes are dark grey. 



It appears to be an uncommon animal, and its skins 

 are sometimes found in karosses of native manufacture ; 

 a few hundred skins are, however, imported annually, 

 and are used for wrappers ; the value of a skin is about 

 3d. to 6d. 



The young are quite striped like a tabby cat. The 

 adult animal resembles the European Wild Cat, with 

 which it would no doubt as freely interbreed as with the 

 Domestic Cat, with which both might well be classed. 



The Caffer Cat is very similar to the Afghan Cat, or 

 Bokhara Chaus (Felis caudata) ; but the latter has finer 

 and longer fur, lighter in colour, and fewer rings on the 

 tail. 



The Chaus, Caffer Cat, Wild and Domestic Cat, are 

 all undoubtedly one species; their common offspring 

 would no doubt be fertile. 



