364 COMMON CAT. 
colour in different parts of Europe. Mr. Sclire- 
ber in his plate of quadrupeds^ figures a specimen 
of a pretty deep tawny colour, varied with black 
or deep-brown streaks, so that the animal has very 
much the appearance of a Tiger in miniature; 
while on another plate he has exhibited one, com- 
municated by Dr. Pallas, of a pale grey Avith black 
or dark-brown variegations. 
The manners of the wild cat resemble those of 
the Lynx, and several others of this genus ; living 
in woods, and preying on young hares, on birds, 
and a variety of other animals, which it seizes by 
surprise. It breeds in the hollows of trees, and 
produces about four at a birth. The wild Cat 
(says Mr. Pennant) may be called the British 
Tiger; it is the fiercest and most destructive beast 
we have; making dreadful havock among our 
poultry, lambs, and kids. It inhabits the most 
mountainous and woody parts of these islands, liv- 
ing mostly in trees, and feeding only by night. It 
multiplies as fast as our common Cats; and often 
the females of the latter will quit their domestic 
mates, and return home pregnant by the former. " 
The varieties of this animal in a domestic state 
are very numerous; it is either entirely black; 
black and white ; black, fulvous, and white (called 
the Tortoise-shell or Spanish Cat) ; white without 
any variegation ; fulvous and white ; dun-colour 
or tawny, either plain or with deeper stripes ; tab- 
by, or of a similar colour to the wild Cat, but 
with much bolder or more vivid variegations; 
slate-coloured or blue-grey (called the Chartreux 
