i88i] 
( 485 ) 
ANALYSES OF BOOKS. 
The Cat. An Introduction to the Study of Back-boned Animals, 
especially Mammals. By St. George Mivart, Ph.D., F.R.S. 
London: John Murray. 1881. 
A large handsome volume entitled “ The Cat ” will probably 
cause some little surprise to the ordinary reader as to what can 
be found to fill it. An animal which is as much an objeCt of 
aversion to some as it is a pet and a friend to others would 
hardly be deemed worthy of being honoured with so splendid a 
monograph. 
A careful inspection of the book itself will not only show how 
much valuable and interesting matter has been collected by the 
author, but will even suggest the thought that the volume, large 
as it is, might have been considerably extended without exhaust- 
ing the subject. 
The cat is throughout the work treated as the type of the 
Vertebrates in general and of Mammals in particular. The 
reason why the cat is selected will best be explained in the 
author’s own words in the Preface : — “ It might perhaps be ex- 
pected that Man himself would be chosen as the type. But a 
fresh description of human anatomy is not required, and would 
be comparatively useless to those for whom this work is espe- 
cially intended. For a satisfactory study of animals (or of plants) 
can only be carried on by their direCt examination, the know- 
ledge obtained from reading being supplemented by dissection. 
This, however, as regards man, can only be practised in medical 
schools. Moreover the human body is so large that its dissection 
is very laborious, and it is a task generally at first unpleasing to 
those who have no special reason for undertaking it. But this 
work is intended for persons who are interested in zoology, and 
especially in the zoology of beasts, birds, reptiles, and fishes, 
and not merely for those concerned in studies proper to the 
medical profession. The problem has been to seleCt as a type 
for examination and comparison an animal easily obtained, and 
of convenient size ; one belonging to man’s class, and one not 
so different from him in structure but that comparison between 
it and him (as to limbs and other larger portions of its frame) 
may readily suggest themselves to the student. Such an animal 
is the common cat. In it we have a convenient and readily ac- 
cessible objeCt for reference, while the advantages which would 
result from the selection of Man as a type will almost all be 
obtained without the disadvantages of that selection.” 
