All this interest, together with the holding of many big shows in different parts of the kingdom, have brought into prominence a great host of fanciers, including many ladies holding high positions in the best class of society. No wonder, then, that there should be a call for a standard work dealing with all varieties of cats. In the few remarks I have to make on short-haired cats I shall take the self colours first. They are, I believe, our oldest variety; the black or the white cat is to be found in many a household. In some parts of the North when I was a boy it was said to be a sign of good luck to have a sound-coloured black cat, with a coat like a raven's wing, with not a white hair to be found in it. If you have one like this in your home, with a good round head, neat ears, and rich orange eyes, let me ask you to take great care of it. If you reside in a district where shows are held - either in connection with the local agricultural society or in the winter time in the town hall in connection with the local fanciers' society - by all means enter it, and you will find you have an exhibit of real value.

We possess grand examples of first-class blacks in Lady Alexander's 'Black Bump, 'Lady Decies" Charcoal' and 'Shamrock,' Mrs. Nott's 'King of Blacks,' and many-other present-day winners. In self whites Lady Alexander's' Snow King," Billie Blue Eyes,' and 'Snow Bump' ; Mrs. Western's 'Prickly Pearl'; and the Hon. A. Wodehouse's 'White Devil' are about the best living, and in condition and coat hard to find fault with. The eyes of the self white must be a rich-coloured blue. The shorter and fuller you can get both the self black and the self white the better will be the chances of their winning prizes; a long, coarse coat, big or badly set-on ears, and long, thin, snipy faces are little or no good in the show pen. In your breeding arrangements you do not need at this time of the day to make many experiments. In breeding self whites the great aim is to obtain shape and colour of eyes. So many good sires are to be obtained that if you are deficient in bone, shape, or colour of eyes, you can with careful mating obtain these - in some cases with the first cross. My opinion is that in breeding whites no other colour should be mixed with them. In the breeding of blacks you are altogether on another matter. It is a well-known fact that the cross with the self blue is a most distinct advantage.

It not only gives tone and soundness to both the blue and the black, but it also adds lustre.

"For a long time we have called the self blues Russians. No doubt they, in the first instance, came from the East ; but since they were imported into this country they have been mixed in a great measure with self blacks, and in some cases with long-haired blues, to get strong, short, round heads, so that at the present time we have very few pure-bred Russians in this country.

"My advice to those who are breeding self blues or self blacks is, by all means put one cross of blacks in the blues, especially if the black has orange eyes. It is in eyes that most of our self blues fail. Let me, however, give here a word of warning. Do not mix the colours too often, or you will get the blues too dark or nearly like black. If you get one cross of the black and blue, use it as it should be used, by mixing the offspring well together. I know a great many breeders are not in favour of this in-breeding. This is, without doubt, their loss. In all branches in-breeding is the sure road to success.

"To go outside at every cross, or too often, brings with it a lot of trouble and disappointment. To all my advice is, having got the strains of noted sires in your youngsters, so mix them that all the good and little of the bad points will come out as the result of your breeding. That you will not get all winners is a sure conclusion, but my experience is - and it is formed after thirty years' breeding of fancy pet stock - that in this way you are more likely than in any other to breed winners. Anyone who has seen Lady Alexander's 'Brother Bump,' Mrs. Hughes 'Alexis,' Miss Butler Ayton's 'Blue Bell' and' Blue Stockings, 'Mrs. Carew-Cox's 'Fashoda,' and Mrs. Dewar's 'Firkens' cannot but fall in love with this colour. All that is needed to make this one of our most popular varieties is uniformity in shape. In my opinion these cats should be judged on the same lines as our self blacks and self whites.

" I now come to the tabbies - silver, orange, and brown. What a lovely variety they are, and what a fine picture any of the three colours makes if they are seen in full coat and clear markings! In silvers the old-time champion' The Silver King' was without a doubt the foundation of most of our present-day winners. Mrs. Herring's 'Jimmy,' the noted female 'Shelly,' and a host of others that at the moment I cannot remember are worthy of the great deeds of the past. In the present day champions are to be found - Mrs. Collingwood's 'James II.,' Mrs. Herring's 'Sweet Phyllis,' Mrs. Bonny's 'Heather Belle' and 'Dame Fortune, 'Mrs. Turner's' Masterpiece,' Mrs. Western's 'Princess,' and last, but not least, Mr. Blackett's noted team, including 'Silver' and 'Silver Star.' In the orange we have a strong lot, including Lady Alexander's capital team - 'Perfection,' 'Red Prince,' 'Miss Perfection.' and 'Mother Pop' - Mrs. Temple's

'Dr. Jim,' Mrs. Collingwood's 'Clem' and

'Belle of Bradford,' Mr. Thompson's 'Red Rufus,' and Mr. Kuhnel's' Coronation King,' all of them getting close on the standard both in colour and markings.

Mrs. Bakkkk's "Tynesine Lily." (Photo: E C. Farmer, Bedford.)

Miss Harper's Cattery, Briarlea, Hayward's Heath

Another View Of Briarlea Catteries (Photo: E. Harper.)