OEDEE OF CAENIYOEA. 
377 
Its length is about two feet. It does not differ in its habits 
from the larger members of this family. It climbs trees with 
agility, and feeds on Birds, Squirrels, Hares, Babbits, &c. At 
one time it was very common in France and Scotland. Its habitat 
is nearly the whole of Europe, and a large portion of Asia. 
There ought to be ranged beside the Wild Cat a multitude of 
species, which are only separated from it by differences in the 
colour of the pelage and length of hair, and which are its repre- 
Fig. 144. — Wild Cat (Felis catus, Linn.). 
sentatives in the countries it does not inhabit. Such are the 
Pampas Cat, the Bengal Cat, the jNepaul Cat, the Egyptian Cat, 
the Serval Cat, the Caffir Cat, indigenous to the Cape, &c. 
Certain authors are inclined to believe that the numerous 
varieties of the Domestic Cat have descended from the Wild Cat, 
crossed with the Egyptian Cat. However this may be, there 
exist several breeds of well-characterised Domestic Cats. Such 
are the Spanish Cat, the Chartreuse Cat, the Bed Cat of Tobolsk, 
