PROCEEDINGS 



OP 



THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY 



PAPERS READ BEFORE THE ACADEMY 



1. 



ON THE FORMEE, OCCURREIS'CE OF THE AFRICAN WILD 

 CAT (FELIS OCREATA, GMEL.) IN IRELAND. 



By R. F. SCHARFF, M.R.I.A. 



(Plate I.) 



Read November 30. Ordered for publication December 4, 1905. Published 

 January 1, 1906. 



After having made exhaustive inquiries in various parts of the 

 country as to the occurrence of the Wild Cat in Ireland, the late 

 William Thompson came to the conclusion (p. 11) that this species 

 could not be given with certainty as a native animal. Nevertheless, 

 he was informed that Wild Cats existed formerly in the West of 

 Ireland, and he refers to a large cat which was shot in a wild state 

 at Shane's Castle park. County Antrim. This resembled Feli8 catus, 

 according to his description, in everything except the form of the tail. 

 It appeared to him to be a genuine hybrid between Felts caUiR and the 

 Domestic Cat (p. 12) — an admission on his part that he believed in 

 the existence of the true Wild Cat in this country. 



A more interesting historical reference to the former existence of 

 the Wild Cat in Ireland occurs in an ancient Irish poem. The 

 manuscript poem, which is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, 

 was translated by Mr. Eugene O'Curry, and published by Sir William 

 Wilde. The original is believed to be as old as the ninth century ; 

 and, as Sir William Wilde expresses it, it is certainly one of the most 

 remarkable productions of its kind known in any language in Europe 

 of the same date. The history of the poem is as follows : — Fin mac 

 Cumhaill was made prisoner by Cormac mac Art, monarch of Krinn, 

 who consented to liberate him on the condition t]i;it ;i uinle and 



K. I. A. PROC, VOL. XXVI., SECT, II.] A 



