238 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



colour and shape from the European wild 

 cat. The black -and -grey pattern of the tabby 

 cat is so constant and so characteristic that it 

 is impossible to think that this type is merely 

 a chance variety which has arisen since its 

 forefathers came under the influence of man. 

 Moreover, there are some exceedingly curious 

 points about the system of stripes upon true 

 tabbies to which I shall allude presently. If the 

 interpretation which I shall venture to suggest 

 be correct, the special traits alluded to are dis- 

 tinctly referable to certain peculiar needs of wild 

 life. Before discussing this point, however, 

 I may remark that there are several types of 

 tame cats which have peculiarities suggesting a 

 distinct wild ancestry, although no species may 

 be now extant in a state of freedom to which 

 we can refer them. Thus the tailless Manx cat 

 with its long hind-legs, which both give to the 

 animal its characteristic rabbit-like attitude and its 

 great leaping power, is probably a representative 

 of some ancient wild species. The peculiarities 

 exhibited by tortoise-shell and sandy cats seem 

 to indicate that they also may have sprung from 

 a separate race. One frequently finds that the 

 male and female of a species differ materially in 



