certainly is, where the oandal appendage usually hangs, a sort 

 of knob, suggestive of amputation in early kittenhood ; but if 

 is a well authenticated fact that the Manx oat has no tail, and, 

 so far as can be ascertained, never had one. As, says a 

 modem writer, " A black Manx cat, with its staring eyes and 

 its stump of a tail, is a most unearthly looking beast, which 

 would find a more appropriate resting place at TCirk Alloway 

 or the Blocksburg than at the fire-side of a respectable house- 

 hold. So it might fitly be the quadrupedal form in which the 

 ancient sorcerers were wont to clothe themselves on their noc- 

 turnal excursions." 



The Angola is one of the most beautiful of cats. Its form 

 is ample, its far long and silky, and its tail remarkably fall 

 and brush-like. These cats are very inteUigeut, and, according 

 to Mr. Wood's experience, possessed of capacious stomachs. 

 While that gentleman was staying at a caf^ in Paris, he made 

 friends with a huge Angola that used to sit on the tables 

 and assist the Enghshman in the consumption of his biscuits. 

 She devoured them with such apparent relish that Mr. Wood 

 ordered her a plate of almond biscuits for herself. The plate 

 was speedily emptied and replaced by another ; this too was 

 leisurely cleared, the Angola's eyes still beaming with expecta- 

 tion rather than satisfaction. Her worthy patron had, however, 

 settled the point that Angola cats will eat almond biscuits — 

 a very great quantity of them, and was in no humour to ex- 

 perimentalize further. 



Baertro deUo Valli makes mention of a cat discovered by 

 him in Persia which exactly answers the description of the 

 Angola. " There is," he says, " in Persia — particularly in 

 the province of Charagan — of the figure and form of our ordi- 

 nary ones but infinitely more beautiful in the lustre and colour 

 of its skin. It is of a grey blue, and as soft and shining as 

 silk. The tail is of great length and covered with hair six 

 inches long, which the animal throws over its back after the 

 manner of a squirrel." 



The Chinese cat is of largish size, has fine glossy fur, and is 

 remarkable for its pendulous ears. Some assert that this is 

 not properly a cat at all but a " Samxee," whatever that may 

 be. Bosman, writing about the Chinese cat's drooping ears, 

 remarks : " It is worthy of observation that there is in animals 

 evident signs of ancestry of their slavery. Long ears, long 

 and fine hair, are efieots produced by time and civilization, 

 whilst all wild animals have straight round ears." His re- 



