SIZE, LEIiOTH, AND HEIGHT. 43 



SIZE, LENGTH, AND HEIGHT OF FELTS CATUS. 



The size of the Wild Cat has been much exagge- 

 rated. Pennant states that it is three times the size of 

 the Domestic Cat, " with feet and claws tremendous." 

 This would make the Wild Cat somewhat about 

 seven feet long and three feet high : well may he 

 call it the British Tiger. Weight, in his edition of 

 Buifon, says that the Wild or Wood Cat at its full 

 growth stands a foot and a half high and measures 

 two feet round the body, and, including the tail, 

 which is half a yard long, is about four feet in length. 

 Bewick records one having been killed in Cumberland 

 upwards of five feet in length. 



Sir W. Jardine remarks : " We have never been so 

 fortunate as to find a specimen of such extraordinary 

 dimensions, nor should we wish to encounter a 

 Wild Cat so nearly approaching the size of a Puma 

 or Leopard." 



Gesner gives the whole length as " quatuor do- 

 drantum," or about three feet. 



Daubenton gives the extreme length of the Wild 

 Cat as 2 feet 8 inches 3 lines ; the length of the 

 tail being 11 inches 3 lines — that of the Domestic 

 being 10 inches 3 lines, or 1 inch shorter than 

 F. catus ; the whole length of the Domestic Cat 

 is 2 feet 5 inches 6 lines. 



Temminck considers that the size of Wild Cats 

 varies according to the situation they inhabit : those 

 of the "Midi " are scarcely larger than the common 

 Domestic Cat ; those inhabiting the vast forests of 

 the centre of Europe are much larger and stronger, 

 averaging from 2 feet 8 inches to o feet, including 

 the tail, which is about 12 inches. 



