VOL. XIV, PP. 149-151 AUGUST 9, 1901 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



TWO NEW CATS OF THE EYRA GROUP FROM 

 NORTH AMERICA. 



BY EDGAR A MEARXS. 



On comparison of the very distinct new species of eyra cat 

 here described as Felis fossata with the descriptions of Fells 

 eyra Fischer (1814, based on Azara), the former was found to 

 be a much larger animal, the bare skull measuring one-half inch 

 more in length than the entire head of Felis eyra, according to 

 the measurements given by Dr. J. R. Rengger,* an extremely 

 careful naturalist. Rengger's external measurements of eyra 

 cats from Paraguay are slightly greater than those given by 

 Azara. The animal described and figured by Baird as Felis 

 eyra,\ belonged to a species as large as Fells fossata, conse 

 quently much larger than Felis eyra Fischer. The water-color 

 drawing, taken from Dr. Berlandier's original, from which 

 Baird's colored figure was reproduced, depicts the animal "as a 

 uniform light reddish-brown, without any spots whatever, and 

 no lightening of tints beneath. The ears are rather pointed. 

 The tail is slender and tapering gently to the tip, which is not 

 tufted. The tail is rather longer than the body, by about half 



*Xaturgeschichte tier Saeugethiere von Paraguay, 1830, p. 209. 



fMammals of North America, 1857, p. 88, pi. LXII, fig. 1 (animal), 

 pi. LXXIII, fig.. 2 (skull): Report United States and Mexican Boundary 

 Survey, II, 1859, p. 10, pi. II, fig. 1 (animal), pi. XIII, fig. 2 (skull). 

 29-BiOL. Soc. WASH. VOL. XIV, 1901. (H9) 



