110 



Felid-e.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Felid.e, 



are some so-called educated people who would fain 

 persuade us that we are wrong 1 It is sad to reflect 

 that some persons can he found who will thus resist 

 the evid nee of their senses, in order to gratify a 

 childish crotchet, or to support a pre-conceived dogma! 

 Those of our readers wlio have perused the address 

 issued previous to the publication of this part of the 

 "Museum of Natural History," will appreciate the 

 motive which thus leads us to oiler a few reflections on 

 the habits of this higldy interesting class of animals. 

 Not many years ago the writer of this article liad the 

 misfortune to be present at a lecture given in the 

 iiortljern metropolis, by a gentleman whose mind 

 appeared to be singularly ill-adapted for the reception 

 of scientific truth, but wliose perverted views, nevertlie- 

 less, enjoy a certain credence among individuals capable 

 of indulging extreme opinions. Thus, he undertook to 

 inform Ids audience that the several organs of a 

 carnivorous animal, in wliich we have been accustomed 

 to recognize teleologic evidences of beauty, harmony, 

 and design, have all been diverted from their proper 

 development by an evil agency — that the claws, teetl], 

 and stomach, wliich we liave just shown to be severally 

 ada[)ted to the seizure, tearing, and digesting of the 

 flesh of other animals, do not, indeed, exhibit evidences 

 of design, benevolence, and wisdom in the Creator, but 

 rather, evidences of anotlier power, wliich has caused 

 the anterior extremity to become a hideous weapon of 

 destruction — which has caused those teeth to display 

 their tearing and cutting surfaces — which lias caused 

 llie stomach to assume a vicarious action ; all of these 

 organs severally contributing to render tlie creature 

 ferocious, cruel, and destructive — habits, wliich, in this 

 anti-zoologist's view, the animal was not intended to 

 liavel Such is an illustration ofjhe melancholy infer- 

 ences to which unscientific dogmatism inevitably leads 

 — a mere bigoted mimicry of medijeval times! For 

 the successful cultivation of natural-history science it 

 is above all things necessary that our minds be imbued 

 with a love of truth, in whatever aspect it may present 

 itself. If we perceive that the integrity of organized 

 existences on this planet can only be maintained by the 

 reciprocal action of antagonistic forces, and that the 

 balance of this reciprocity involves an<l guarantees the 

 welfare of every living entity, needing a residence on 

 the habitable globe ; if, we repeat, it is clearly evident 

 that any departure from this divinely-appointed law 

 would, on the one hand, only bring about a redundancy, 

 or, on the other, a deterioration ; what, we ask, is to 

 be gained by inipertiuently criticising tins universal 

 law, this wise method of divine government, fixed on 

 the eternal principles of justice, equity, and compensa- 

 tion? In the nicely-adjusted balance of probabilities 

 we recognize abundant good to all living beings whose 

 immediate wants are thus duly provided for, and we 

 are content to admire and adore the power which 

 regulates the destiny of every species. In conclusion, 

 we have only to observe that the Fdldm are widely 

 distributed in all quarters of the world, except in 

 Australia, the larger species being, for the most part, 

 Cdiitined to tropical regions. 



THE 'WILD CAT [Felis Catus), is more or less abun- 

 dant tlironglioiit the well-wooded and hillv districts of 



Europe, and was at one time very plentiful in theso 

 islands. It is still found in Wales, in the north-west 

 counties of England, and more commonly in Scotland, 

 and certain parts of Ireland. It is not quite two feet 

 long, exclusive of the tail, which measures about twelve 

 inches. The body is stouter than in the common 

 house cat, the tail presenting an almost uniform thick- 

 ness from one end to the other, except at the tip, where 

 it is slightly swollen. The fur has a yellowish-grey 

 colour generally, but beneath the throat and belly it is 

 nearly white ; the sides of the body, the legs, the tail, 

 and summit of the liead being striped with brownish- 

 black bands, which becomes lighter as they approacli 

 the ventral line. A longitudinal black band runs along 

 the middle of tlie back, extending from tlie head to the 

 root of (he tail ; this last named organ being black at 

 the tip. The wild cat was formerly considered in 

 England a beast of the chase, but, except for mere 

 sport, it does not appear to have been considered of 

 any great value. It is reported, by those who have 

 seen it in its wild haunts, to be extremely ferocious, a 

 circumstance which has doubtless contributed to bring 

 about its almost total extinction. The female produces 

 four or five cubs at a birth, and selects either a hollow 

 tree, a rocky recess, or, according to Sir William 

 Jardine, a large bird's nest, for the protection and 

 rearing of the young. 



THE DOMESTIC CAT [Fells domcsUca).— The con- 

 curring testimony of the majority of British naturalists 

 favours the notion that our common house cat is a 

 distinct species, or, at least, that it is not a mere 

 domesticated variety of tlie European wild cat. It is 

 well known that the common cat frequently betakes 

 itself to the woods, and after a time assumes a semi- 

 savage condition. This was at first considered sufiieient 

 ground for believing it to be identical with Fdis Catus; 

 but when, on a closer examination, its characters were 

 not found to have reverted to the state of those 

 ordinarily present in the wild species, considerable 

 doubt arose on the question. Tlie colour of the fur is 

 frequently indistinguishable, but a very raaiked dis- 

 similarity is seen in the tail, which, instead of being 

 uniformly thick throughcuit, as obtains in the wild cat, 

 is, in the form under consideration, much narrower and 

 tapering also toward the extremity. Sir William Jardine 

 has made some very interesting remarks on this subject. 

 He saj's there is probably " no animal that so soon 

 loses its cultivation and returns ajiparently to a state 

 completely wild. A trifling neglect of proper feeding 

 or attention will often cause them to depend upon their 

 own resources, and the tasting of some wild or living 

 food will tempt them to seek it again, and to leave 

 their civilized home. They then prowl about in the 

 same manner as their congeners, crouching among 

 cover, and carefully concealing themselves from all 

 publicity. They breed in the woods or thickets, aiHl 

 suppoii themselves upon birds or young animals. Few 

 extensive rabbit-warrens want two or three depredators 

 of this kind, where they commit great havoc, particu- 

 larly among the )'Oung in summer. They sleep and 

 repose in the holes, and are often taken in the snares 

 set for their prey." Sir W. Jardine once stumbled 

 upon one of these truants which had just kittened, and 



