THE CAT. 251 



determine the premiums to be paid by insurers 

 of different ages and callings — viz., upon averages 

 drawn from a vast number of cases. Animals 

 cannot be protected against all adverse risks, and 

 if the balance of chances in the case of one species 

 shows in favour of a general protective coloration 

 (similar to that of the wild cat) and against a 

 special protective coloration (such as that of the 

 tabby), the former will be adopted. But such an 

 actuarial pronouncement is merely of general 

 application, and must not be taken by any single 

 cat as a certificate of immunity from risks requir- 

 ing a special premium. The common wild cat, 

 although exposed to occasional attacks from 

 eagles, has nevertheless found it most profitable 

 in the long-run to wear a kind of general-utility 

 uniform of mixed grey, which enables it to steal 

 unseen upon its quarry and to hide itself without 

 much difficulty when among its normal surround- 

 ings. But the original tabby — if our argument 

 holds good — found it worth while (possibly be- 

 cause it was first developed in regions much 

 infested by large birds of prey) to sacrifice a few 

 of the business advantages arising from an incon- 

 spicuous coat for the sake of avoiding one special 

 danger which threatened it with extinction. 



