measures 11 inches in circumference the broad way and l:)y 2 
inches the long way. It measures 3 inches between the ears and 
7 inches across the ears. Its body is 18 inches around just be- 
hind its forelegs and 1 1 1 j inches around the centre. Its tail is 
scant 1 1 inches long, thick and inclined to be bushy, which dis- 
tinguishes it from the domestic cat. which has a long tapering 
tail. 
Its Peculiar Markings 
Its markings are precisely those Dr. Wood describes for 
the wild cat — the fur being a sandy gray, with some yellow or 
buffy color, the butt color being particularly noticeable on the 
body under the hind legs. A dark line extends from the should- 
ers along the spine to the end of the tail. It has black ''tiger" 
markings on the body, legs and tail. The black stripes extend 
entirely around the body and hind legs. On the front legs the 
black bands run into black patches on the under side. 
The top of the head is black, and the face grey, marked with 
regular black lines. The "whiskers" or "feelers" are white, stiff 
and bristly and rather abundant. The chin and neck are lighter 
gray than the rest of the body and also buffy, with a median 
transverse double half -moon brown line. The throat has a con- 
spicuous white spot. 
The tail is of the pervading gray color, ringed with bands 
of black, and has a long black tip, the whole resembling a rac- 
coon's tail. The dark markings on the animal are not uniform 
in intensity, but they contrast with the grey with sufficient 
strength to make it a very striking-looking beast. 
Distribution of the Wild Cat 
The wild cat, though little known here, is widely spread, 
being found not only in this country, but in the British Isles, Con- 
tinental Europe. Northern Asia and Xepaul, though it is not as 
common anywhere now as it once was. It has been claimed that 
it is a native of Ireland, though this is disputed. It is sometimes 
called the British tiger, though it now is seldom found in Eng- 
land. 
ID 
