426 



THE CAT. 



[chap. XII, 



Guanajuato,* and probably extending to near tbe city of Mexico. 

 It is therefore an interesting kind, as being the most southern form of 

 Lynx as yet known to exist. The F. maculata figured measures thirty - 

 five inches from snout to tail root, and the tail is six inches long. 



(46.) The Pardine Lyxx (F. 2:>ardina). 



This Is the South European lynx. The colour Is rufous above, 

 white beneath, with numerous rounded black spots over the body, 

 the limbs, and the tall. 



It presents no noticeable difierence as to size from F. Ii/ncus.f 



At first I was disposed to regard this form as a mere variety of 

 the northern lynx (the species thus becoming spotted in southern 

 latitudes In the old world, just as it becomes spotted in the 

 warmer regions of the new world), but an examination of the skulls 

 inclines me to regard F. jjco'diiia as a really distinct species. AVhen 

 the skull Is seen in profile it difl'ers from the skulls of the varieties 

 F. borca/ls, F. canadensis, F. riifa, and F. maculata, in that It appears 

 much more raised and convex between the orbits, while the skulls 

 of the four just-named varieties are relatively flat. The nasals of 

 F. pardina extend backwards beyond the nasal processes of the 

 maxilloe. 



This species is found in Turkey, Greece, Sicily, Sardinia, and 

 Spain. In Andalusia It is very often called Gato scrval, an inter- 

 esting indication of the African origin of part of the population of 

 that Province. 



(47.) The Thibet Lynx {F. isahellina). % 



This form is only ranked as a species provisionally and with 

 much doubt. There is in the British Museum the mounted skin of 

 a large lynx, which is uniformly of a very pale Isabella colour. 



Length of head and body, forty-one Inches. 



Length of tail, seven inches. 



Though so markedly diftcrent in colour It may be but a pale 

 variety of F. lyncus. § 



(48.) The Caracal {FcUs Caracal). \\ 



The caracal is a well-known kind. It Is of a slender build, with long 

 limbs and with a tall longer than in the other lynxes, reaching down 

 to the animal's heels. The cars are three inches long. 



* r)iologia, 1. c, p. fifi. 



t Tlu'i'L' is a tsiieciiut'ii in llic ]>riti.sh 

 Museum wliirli measures forty-one iiielies 

 from snout to tail-root, with a tail seven 

 inches long, and which is covered Avith 

 black spots. It is labelled Lyncus lupu- 

 linus, and has been described by l)r. 

 Gray (Pro. Zool. Soc, 18G7, p. '27(i) as a 

 new species. It was brought from tbe 

 museum of the Zoological Society, and is 

 represented as having conic from Norway. 

 But this representation was probably 



erroneous. 



t Tliis is the F. isahellina of Blythc. 

 Gray, Tro. Zool. Soc, 1867, p. 276. 



§ Dr. Scully has very kindly shown 

 me the skins obtained by him in Central 

 Asia, one of which at least is intermediate 

 in coloration between F. hjncxis and F. 

 imhclliini. 



II Jerdon's Mammals of British India, 

 ]). 113. See also Elliot's Monograph 

 and Do Blainville's Osteographie, plate 

 lU. 



