COLOUR IMITATION. 93 



In New Zealand, Avhere there are none but Domestic 

 Cats -which have been imported, Dieffekbach (' Travels 

 in New Zealand') relates that the imported Cats, on 

 the breaking up of the tribes, were dispersed in 

 the forests, and had become wild and caused great 

 destruction to many of the native birds ; and Dakwin 

 states on the same authority that these Cats had all 

 assumed a streaky grey colour. 



" The Domestic Cat," says Daewin, " has run wild 

 in several countries, and everywhere assumes, as far 

 as can be judged by the short recorded descriptions, 

 a uniform character. Near Maldonado, in La Plata, 

 I shot one which seemed perfectly wild ; it was care- 

 fully examined by Mr. Waterhouse, who found nothing 

 remarkable in it excepting its great size." 



Sir W. Jardine, ' Natur. Libr.,' art. " Egyptian Cat," 

 p. 243, vol. ii.), says : — " There is perhaps no animal 

 that so soon loses its cultivation and returns appa- 

 rently to a state completely wild ; a trifling neglect of 

 proper feeding or attention will often cause them to 

 depend upon their own resources, and the tasting of 

 some wild or living food will tempt them to seek it 

 again and to leave their civilized home. They then 

 prowl about in the same manner as their confreres, 

 crouching among covert and carefully concealing 

 themselves from all publicity. They breed in the 

 woods or thickets, and support themselves upon birds 

 or young animals." 



St. John (' Nat. Hist, of Morayshire ') states that 

 Domestic Cats of a grey or tabby colour are more 

 inclined to take to the woods and hunt for themselves 

 than those of a difi'erent colour. The same author 

 (' Wild Sports of the Highlands ') remarks, that what- 



