Vol. XIV, pp. 149-151 August 9, 1901 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



\' 



^^ 



TWO NEW CATS OF THP: EYRA GROLTP FROM 

 NORTH AMERICA. 



BY EJXiAR A M EARNS. 



Oil t'()m))arisi)ii of the very distinct iieM' species of eyra cat 

 here described as TeUa fossato with the descriptions of Felis 

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

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

 more in length than the entire head of FeltK fi/r<i, according to 

 the measurements given l)y 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 I'^lh 

 eyra,\ belonged to a species as large as Fdis fossata^ conse- 

 quently much larger than FeVis eyra Fischer. The Avater-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. Tlie tail is rather longer than the body, by about half 



*Natur.2:eschichte der Saeugethiere von Paraguay, 1830, p. 20!). 



filammals of North America, lS.i7, p. 88, pi. LXII. fig. 1 (animal), 

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

 Survey, II, 18.")!), p. 10, pi. II. tig. 1 (animal), pi. XIII, fig. 2 (skull). 

 29— BIOL. See. WASH. VOL. XIV, 1901. (149) 





