110 Felidte. MAMMALIA. Felid.®. 
are some so-called educated people who would fain 
persuade us that we are wrong ! It is sad to reflect 
that some persons can be found who will thus resist 
the evidence of their senses, in order to gratify a 
childish crotchet, or to support a pre-conceived dogma! 
Those of our readers who have perused the address 
issued previous to the publication of this part of the 
“Museum of Natural History,” will appreciate the 
motive which thus leads us to offer a few reflections on 
the habits of this highly interesting class of animals. 
Not many years ago the writer of this article had the 
misfortune to he present at a lecture given in the 
northern metropolis, by a gentleman whose mind 
appeared to be singularly ill-adapted for the reception 
of scientific truth, but whose perverted views, neverthe- 
less, enjoy a certain credence among individuals capable 
of indulging extreme opinions. Thus, he undertook to 
inform his audience that the several organs of a 
carnivorous animal, in which we have been accustomed 
to recognize teleologic evidences of beauty, harmony, 
and design, have all been diverted from their proper 
development by an evil agency — that the claws, teeth, 
and stomach, which we have just shown to be severally 
adapted to the seizure, tearing, and digesting of the 
flesh of other animals, do not, indeed, exhibit evidences 
of design, benevolence, and wisdom in the Creator, but 
rather, evidences of another power, which has caused 
the anterior extremity to become a hideous weapon of 
destruction — which has caused those teeth to display 
their tearing and cutting surfaces — which has caused 
the stomach to assume a vicarious action ; all of these 
organs severally contributing to render the creature 
ferocious, cruel, and destructive — habits, which, in this 
anti-zoologist’s view, the animal was not intended to 
have! Such is an illustration of the melancholy infer- 
ences to which unscientific dogmatism inevitably leads 
— a mere bigoted mimicry of mediaeval times! For 
the successful cultivation of natural-history science it 
is above all things necessary that our minds be imbued 
with a love of truth, in whatever aspect it may present 
itself. If we perceive that the integrity of organized 
existences on this planet can only be maintained by the 
reciprocal action of antagonistic forces, and that the 
balance of this reciprocity involves and guarantees the 
welfare of every living entity, needing a residence on 
the habitable globe ; if, we repeat, it is clearly evident 
that any departure from this divinelj'-appointed law 
would, on the one hand, only bring about a redundancy, 
or, on the other, a deterioration ; what, we ask, is to 
be gained by impertinently criticising this universal 
law, this wise method of divine government, fixed on 
the eternal principles of justice, equity, and compensa- 
tion? In the nicely-adjusted balance of probabilities 
we recognize abundant good to all living beings whose 
immediate wants are thus duly provided for, and we 
are content to admire and adore the power which 
regulates the destiny of eveiy species. In conclusion, 
we have only to observe that the Fclidm are widely 
distributed in all quarters of the world, except in 
Australia, the larger species being, for the most part, 
confined to tropical regions. 
THE WILD CAT {Felis Catus), is more or less abun- 
dant throughout the well-wooded and hilly districts of 
Europe, and was at one time very plentiful in these 
islands. It is still found in Wales, in the north-west 
counties of England, and more commonly in Scotland, 
and certain parts of Ireland. It is not quite two feet 
long, exclusive of the tail, which measures about twelve 
inches. The body is stouter than in the common 
house cat, the tail presenting an almost uniform thick- 
ness from one end to the other, except at the tip, where 
it is slightly swollen. The fur has a yellowish-grey 
colour generally, but beneath the throat and belly it is 
nearly white ; the sides of the body, the legs, the tail, 
and summit of the head being striped with browtiish- 
black bands, which becomes lighter as they approach 
the ventral line. A longitudinal black band runs along 
the middle of the back, extending from the head to the 
root of the tail ; this last named organ being black at 
the tip. The wild cat was formerly considered in 
England a beast of the chase, but, except for; mere 
sport, it does not appear to have been considered of 
any great value. It is reported, by those who have 
seen it in its wild haunts, to be extremely ferocious, a 
circumstance which has doubtless contributed to bring 
about its almost total extinction. The female produces 
four or five cubs at a birth, and selects either a hollow 
tree, a rocky recess, or, according to Sir William 
Jardine, a large bird’s nest, for the protection and 
rearing of the young. 
THE DOMESTIC CAT {Felis domesiica) .—The con- 
curring testimony of the majority of British naturalists 
favours the notion that our common house cat is a 
distinct species, or, at least, that it is not a mere 
domesticated variety of the European wild cat. It is 
well known that the common cat frequently betakes 
itself to the woods, and after a time assumes a semi- 
savage condition. This was at first considered sufficient 
ground for believing it to be identical with Felis Catus; 
but when, on a closer examination, its characters were 
not found to have reverted to the state of those 
ordinarily present in the wild species, considerable 
doubt arose on the question. The colour of the fur is 
frequently indistinguishable, but a very marked dis- 
similarity is seen in the tail, which, instead of being 
uniformly thick throughout, as obtains in the wild cat, 
is, in the form under consideration, much narrower and 
tapering also toward the extremity. Sir William Jardine 
has made some very interesting remarks on this subject. 
He says there is probably “ no animal that so soon 
loses its cultivation and returns apparently to a state 
completely wild. A trifling neglect of proper feeding 
or attention will often cause them to depend upon their 
own resources, and the tasting of some wild or living 
food will tempt them to seek it again, and to leave 
their civilized home. They then prowl about in the 
same manner as their congeners, crouching among 
cover, and carefully concealing themselves from all 
publicity. They breed in the woods or thickets, and 
support themselves upon birds or young animals. Few 
extensive rabbit-warrens want two or three depredators 
of this kind, where they commit great havoc, particu- 
larly among the young in summer. They sleep and 
repose in the holes, and are often taken in the snares 
set for their prey.” Sir W. Jardine once stumbled 
upon one of these truants which had just kittened, and 
