10 [January, 



Californian Wild Cat : 



Above, mottled white, black, and fuscous, lighter on the sides, which are 

 slightly barred; beneath, white; legs fuscous, with black bars, much more dis- 

 tinct on the anterior ones, which are anteriorly white. Ears large, rounded, 

 black, with a white spot connected with the mastoid part, tip with a short tuft. 

 Tail short, blunt, barred with darker, tip black with an extreme white point. 



Length 31 inches, tail 6, head 4.5, height 1.5. 



Lewis and darkens Wild Cat : 



Larger than the wild cat of the United States; color of the back, neck, and 

 sides reddish brown, irregularly varied, with small spots of dark brown, tail two 

 inches long and nearly white, except the extremity which is black; it terminates 

 abruptly, as if amputated. Belly white, variegated with small black spots, legs 

 of the same color as the sides. The back is marked transversely with black 

 stripes; ears black, on the outer side covered with short fine hair, except at the 

 upper part, where it is furnished with a parcel of fine, straight, black hair three- 

 fourths of an inch long. The hair of the animal is long and fine. 



This animal was called by Rafinesque, Felis fasciata. I have declined adopt- 

 ing his name, as he never saw it, and was too much in the habit of describing 

 things by hearsay, with as much confidence as if he had himself procured them, 

 and had them lying before him. A drawing or an engraving was sufficient for 

 him to make a new genus from, as was often the case, I am sorry to say, with 

 authors of more credit. 



Both Charlevoix and Dupratz, mention a species of Felis in Louisiana, which 

 appears not to have been lately seen ; they call it Pichoux; the following is a 

 description of it 



Pichoux : 



Upper part of the head, neck, back, sides, shoulders, and thighs bright tawny, 

 face striped downwards with black, shoulders and body marked with stripes and 

 large oblong black spots, the legs with small spots, breast and inner side of the 

 legs and thighs whitish, spotted with black ; tail long, marked with black, taw- 

 ny, and grey. 



Size of a common cat, (about 18 inches). 



Does not appear to be the Felis pardalis, from its smaller size, and probably 

 different markings, besides being in some of the under parts white. If this ani- 

 mal is no longer found in Louisiana, it is highly probable that it may be met 

 with in Texas or New Mexico. Animals at one time extremely common in any 

 particular country, will suddenly leave it without any visible cause. As an in- 

 stance of this : previous to the year 1820, no bird was more common in that part 

 Georgia where I resided, than the Conurus Carolinensis or Parakeet. They would 

 pass through the air in flocks of from 50 to 100. They suddenly all disappeared, 

 and for more than thirty years, not one has been seen where they were so abun- 

 dant. Travellers through Texas and New Mexico, would do well to look for 

 this beautiful species of cat. 



The Chat sauvage, described by Dupratz, vol. ii., p. 93, is an animal well 

 worth enquiring about. He thus describes it : 



Chat sauvage : 



He says that it does not feed on animal substances, but on fruits, bread, and 

 other vegetables. It seems that it w r as easily and often tamed. It is gentle and 

 frolicsome, and not more than 8 or 10 inches high and about 15 long. The head 

 like that of a fox : when tamed the color is grey ; when wild, red : its paws have 

 long toes and short claws ; it has improperly been called a cat, as it has nothing 

 of the cat about it but its activity, and bears a greater resemblance to the 

 marmot. 



