OEDEE OF CAENIVOEA. 377 



Its length is about two feet. It does not differ in its habits 

 from the larger members of this family. It climbs trees with 

 agility, and feeds on Birds, Squirrels, Hares, Rabbits, &c. At 

 one time it was very common in France and Scotland. Its habitat 

 IS nearly the whole of Europe, and a large portion of Asia. 



There ought to be ranged beside the Wild Cat a multitude of 

 species, which are only separated from it by differences in tlje 

 colour of the pelage and length of hair, and which are its repre- 



Fig. liJ.— Wild Cat (/'e/is catus, Liiiii.). 



sentatives in the countries it does not inhabit. Such are the 

 Pampas Cat, the Bengal Cat, the Wepaul Cat, the Egyptian Cat, 

 the Serval Cat, the Caffir Cat, indigenous to the Cape, &c. 



Certain authors are inclined to believe that the numerous 

 varieties of the Domestic Cat have descended from the Wild Cat, 

 crossed with the Egyptian Cat. However this may be, there 

 exist several breeds of well-characterised Domestic Cats. Such 

 are the Spanish Cat, the Chartreuse Cat, the Red Gat of Tobolsk, 



