56 
CARNIVORA. 
THE COMMON CAT, LE CHAT ORDlNAlBE, 
Feiis Catus, 
Is originally from the forests of Europe. In the 
savage state it is generally of a brown gray colour, 
with transverse deeper shades \ the tail has two or 
three dark bands, and the extremity is black. The 
wild cat is common in England, and may be called, 
as Mr. Pennant observes, the British tiger. Its 
manners are similar to those of the lynx, living in 
woods, and preying, during the night, on every 
animal it can conquer. In a domesticated state it 
varies greatly in colour, and the length and fineness 
of the hair^ but much less than the dog; nor is it 
so submissive, or capable of attachment as the latter 
animal ; for, notwithstanding its education, and ac- 
quaintance with man and better manners, it ever 
retains much of its primitive ferocity, perfidy, and 
cruelty, and is never to be entirely trusted : it is, 
in general, rather attached to its domicile than to its 
keeper. The opposite figure is that of a wild cat, 
which was killed a few years ago by the greyhounds 
of Mr., now Sir Walter Scott. 
It is observed, that such varieties of the domestic 
cat, as differ most in appearance from the common 
wild species, are proportionally more completely 
changed in manners. The former sort will also eat, 
