A correspondent writes: "In your book on Cats you do not mention Norwegian Cats. I was in Norway last year, and was struck by the Cats being different to any I had ever seen, being much stouter built, with thick close fur, mostly sandy, with stripes of dark yellow." I suppose I am to infer that both the sexes are of sandy yellow colour. If so, I should say it is more a matter of selection than a new colour. I find generally in the colder countries the fur is short, dense, and somewhat woolly, and as a rule, judging from the information that I am continually receiving, whole or entire colours predominate.

Large Cats are by some sought after. This, I take it, is a great mistake, the fairly medium-sized Cat being much the handsomer of the two, and they are generally also devoid of that coarseness that is found apparent in the former; while small Cats are extremely pretty, and I understand are not only likely to be "in vogue," but are actually now being bred for their extreme prettiness. I have heard of some of these "Bantam" Cats being produced by that true and most excellent fancier, Mr. Herbert Young, who not only has produced a Tortoiseshell Tom Cat on lines laid down by myself, but is also engaged in breeding more, and I have not the least doubt he will be most successful, he having so been in producing new colours and some of the finest silver tabby short-haired Cats as yet seen; these short-haired Cats, in my opinion, far surpassing for beauty any long-hair ever exhibited, and are certainly of a "sweeter disposition."

In my former edition of "Our Cats," I wrote hopefully and expectantly of much good to be derived from the institution of the so-called National Cat Club, and of which I was then President; but I am sorry to say that none of those hopes or expectations have been realised, and I now feel the deepest regret that I was ever induced to be in any way associated with it. I do not care to go into particulars further than to say I found the principal idea of many of its members consisted not so much in promoting the welfare of the Cat as of winning prizes, and more particularly their own Cat Club medals, for which, though offered at public shows, the public were not allowed to compete, and when won by the members, in many cases the public were thoughtlessly misled by believing it was an open competition. I therefore felt it my duty to leave the club for that and other reasons. I have also left off judging of the Cats, even at my old much-loved show at the Crystal Palace, because I no longer cared to come into contact with such "Lovers of Cats."

I am very much in favour of the Cats' Homes. The one at Dublin, in which Miss Swift takes so much interest; the one in London, with Miss Mayhew working for it with the zeal of a true "Cat lover"; and that where Mr. Colam is the manager, all deserve and have my sincerest and warmest approbation, sympathy, and support, standing out as they do in such bright contrast to those self-styled "Cat lovers," the National Cat Club.

HARRISON WEIR, F.R.H.S.

"Iddesleigh," Sevenoaks,

March 12th, 1892.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
Reduction of Cat's Head drawn for Posting Bill, Crystal Palace Cat Show, 1871[1]
Silver Tankard presented by the Crystal Palace Company to the Author[3]
Cat at Show[5]
Miss Saunders' White Persian, "Muff"[6]
"The Old Lady." Silver Tabby, good in colour and marking, the property of
the Author, shown at the first Crystal Palace Cat Show, not for competition		[13]
Miss Saunders' Long-haired Cat, "Tiger"[16]
"The Colonel." Deaf White Persian, the property of the Author[17]
Miss F. Moore's Persian Cat, "Fez"[19]
Miss Saunders' Long-haired Cat, "Tiger"[20]
Specimen of a good White Angora[21]
Miss F. Moore's Long-haired Kitten, "Dinah." This and "Chloe," as Kittens,
won first prize and medal at the Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Bexley Cat
Shows, 1887		[23]
Miss Saunders' very Light Blue Tabby, "Sylvie." A great beauty, and winner
of first prize, silver medal, and silver sugar basin, at the Crystal Palace,
1886, as the best long-haired cat in the show; then the property of Mrs.
Christopher		[24]
Mr. Lloyd's Black Persian, "Minnie." Winner of a large number of prizes at
the Crystal Palace, etc.		[26]
Mr. A. A. Clarke's White Persian, "Tim." First prize and silver medal at the
Crystal Palace, 1885, and winner of other prizes		[27]
Mrs. C. Herring's young Persian Kitten[29]
Russian Long-haired Brown Tabby Cat, the property of the Author[30]
Miss Mary Gresham's Persian Kitten, "Lambkin." (Also see reference, p. 36)[33]
Long-haired Cat, from Daniel's "Rural Sports," 1813[34]
Tail of the same[35]
Miss Mary Gresham's "Lambkin No. 2." This, with "Lambkin" at p. 33,
won first and special and silver medal at the Crystal Palace Show. These
were of fine quality, and were said to be the best pair of long-haired kittens
ever seen		[36]
Miss Moore's Long-haired Persian, "Bogey." First and medal at Albert Palace
Show, 1885; second at Brighton Show		[37]
Miss Saunders' White Persian, "Fluffie"[38]
Mr. Smith's Tortoiseshell He-Cat. The only tortoiseshell he-cat of entire
colouring ever shown at the Crystal Palace, and winner of numerous first
prizes		[39]
Example of Tortoiseshell Cat, very dark variety, purposely showing too much
black, which is a defect		[40]
Light White and Sandy She-Cat and Kittens[43]
Tortoiseshell-and-white Cat, finely marked, and prize-winner[44]
Head of Mrs. Vyvyan's Royal Cat of Siam. Winner of prizes[47]
Example of a properly-marked Brown Tabby, showing the width of the black
bars and spaces between. A fine specimen		[48]
Example of a Brown Tabby, "Aaron," with the black bars far too wide, only
showing the brown as streaks. This is a defect. Property of the Author		[50]
Well-marked Silver Black-banded Tabby. First prize in its class and special
prize, Crystal Palace Show, 1886		[51]
White Cat at the Show. First prize, blue eyes and deep.[53]
Example of a finely-marked Spotted Tabby He-Cat[54]
Spotted Tabby Half-bred Indian Wild Cat[56]
Head of a well-marked Striped Brown Tabby[57]
Mrs. Herring's Dark Blue, Small-banded Tabby, "Chin." A very fine specimen,
and winner of a large number of prizes, and in champion classes		[60]
Group of Kittens at the Crystal Palace Cat Show[61]
White Cat. Prize-winner in 1879[62]
Archangel Blue Cat[66]
Group of Kittens in Box[67]
Example of a properly-marked Black-and-White Cat[68]
Mrs. Vyvyan's Royal Cat of Siam. Prize-winner[69]
Mr. Lyon's curiously-marked White-and-Black Cat[70]
White Cat. Winner of many prizes[72]
Mrs. Lee's Royal Cat of Siam. Winner of many prizes[73]
Head of properly-marked Siamese Cat[79]
Mr. Thomas's Tortoiseshell Manx She-Cat.
Winner of many prizes at the Crystal Palace		[80]
Mr. Thomas's Brown Tabby Manx Kitten[83]
Kittens at the Show[86]
Kittens after the Show[90]
The Game of Ball[108]
Cat and Kittens. "Happy"[109]
What is it?[114]
Tired of Play[117]
Miss Moore's Long-haired Kitten, "Chloe." (See description of "Dinah"
for p. 23.) Chloe has been several times shown alone, and never without
winning		[119]
The Cat Club Challenge Vase, presented by Mr. A. A. Clarke, to be won three
times by the same exhibitor before it is his actual property		[122]
Example of a finely-marked Tortoiseshell Cat[123]
Mr. Babb's beautiful properly-marked Light Silver Tabby She-Cat. First prize
in her class, silver medal and plate as being the best short-haired cat in the
Crystal Palace Show, 1888; also winner of many prizes at other shows		[133]
Example of a well-marked Black-and-White He-Cat[134]
Mr. A. A. Clarke's extremely beautiful White Persian She-Cat, "Miss Whitey."
At the Crystal Palace Show in 1888, first in her class, taking the Crystal
Palace silver medal for the best female cat in the section, the silver-mounted
Doulton ware five o'clock tea-set for the best long-haired cat in the exhibition,
the gold medal given by the National Cat Club for the best long-haired
cat belonging to a member, the National Cat Club Challenge Cup, and also
winner of numerous first prizes elsewhere		[140]
"In full play"[143]
Head of Miss Saunders' "Sylvie." (See other description)[146]
Wild Cat shown at the Crystal Palace Cat Show, 1871, by the Duke of Sutherland;
caught in Sutherlandshire		[154]
English Wild Cat, from the British Museum[160]
Heading to "Cat Proverbs"[185]
Cat watching Mouse-hole[209]
Cat on Tight-rope with White Mice[215]
Cat made of Snail Shells and Wax[219]
Blue Long-haired Persian Cat. Prize-winner[223]
Head of Wild Cat[239]