204 FROM SPRING TO FALL. 



trite sayings, such as — " What can you get from a 

 cat but the skin ? " " No more to be trusted than a 

 wild cat;" "Fierce as a wild cat," and other ex- 

 pressions of the like sort. 



When he was captured, the principal use his fur 

 was put to was to trim the garments of the ladies in 

 the various nunneries at that time scattered over 

 our land. 



As population increased these great tracts of wild 

 land got cleared, and to some extent cultivated ; the 

 numbers of creatures became diminished, but still 

 their various furs formed a great part of the clothing 

 of the rustics. Even now in out-of-the-way districts 

 you will see many a fine vest , and cap of beautiful 

 velvety moleskin. 



The wild cat was a . cruel foe to those who first 

 attempted to bring the forest under cultivation. He 

 has well been named the British tiger, and he would 

 come in the night-time and kill the poultry and lambs 

 of those who had invaded his domain. 



Picture to yourselves a creature twice the size of 

 any domestic cat, brindled grey in colour with dark 

 stripes, and a short bushy tail something like a fox's, 

 but marked with dark rings. 



