Or.DEE V. THE CAr.N-lVOliA. 147 



pel, who says that it is as large as a middle-sized domestic cat, and smaller 

 thau the European wild cat, by one third. All the proportions of its limbs 

 are on a smaller scale, corresponding with those of the hitter, with the 

 exception of the tail, whicii, in this smaller sjiecics, is foimd to be longer. 

 The woolly or ground hair is in general of a dirty ochre color, which on the 

 hack and posterior parts assumes a darker hue, and gradually becomes 

 lighter on the anterior and lateral parts ; its bristles are of a swarthy dirty 

 white color, and wrinkled, thus gi\ing the animal the appearance of a 

 grayish-yellow hue. The skin of the labial edges and of the nose is bare, 

 and of a black color. The beard aud bristles of the eyebrows are of a 

 shining white ; the edges of the eyelids are Ijlack ; the iris is. of a glaring 

 yellow. Mr. liuppel mentions a considerable n\nnber of other markings, 

 which, however, are not of sufficient importance to be enumerated here. 

 He found this cat in Xubia, west of the Xile, near Ambuuol. Its natural 

 abode is rocky and bushy regions. 



The superintendent of the Frankfort Zoiilogical Collection, referring to 

 the discovery of Kuppel, remarks, that the Egyptian cat "must, in more 

 than one respect, excite the interest of natural pliilosophcrs, as there can. be 

 no doubt but that from it is descended the domestic species of the ancient 

 Egyptians. It is a well-known fact, that this nation had brought up tlic 

 cat to be a domestic animal, as is abundantly proved by the cat-mummies, 

 and their rei>rcscntations on the monuments of Thebes." By a comparison 

 of the domestic cat of Egypt, as represented by the cat-nuunmies and 

 sculptures, with the present J<\/is manicuhdu, it appears they arc identical. 



We think there can be no question that this cat is the type of our 

 domestic species, and that to the Egyptians we are indebted for it. Intro- 

 duced into Europe, there would, nudoubtcdl}', be occasional crossings with 

 small nati\e species of \vild cats, producing, at length, new species ; and 

 these, still further intermingling, would produce in the end those great 

 varieties which we have to-day. 



The common cat, like all other animals in a domestic state, is subject to 

 an almost endless difference of color and markings. The most remarkable 

 varieties, perhaps, are the Chartreuse cat, of a bluish gray color; the I'er- 

 sian cat, with long white or gray hair ; and the Angora cat, of a brownish- 

 white color, and with remarkably long, silky hair. It is kept as a drawing- 

 room pet, but is of no great utility. But the Spanish, or tortoise-shell cat, 

 as it is generally called, is by far the most pleasing and beautiful variety of 

 this animal. It is often kept for its beauty, aud was once in great demand 

 among cat-fanciers. 



Tlie domestic cat is capable of great attachment to, and long recollection 

 of, those who have been kind to it. On this point, we find the following 



