species of mammals of the pacific aeea 95 

 Cats. Family Felid^ 



The cats have supple and muscular bodies, rounded heads, 

 and sharp claws which can be retracted into protecting sheaths. 

 The large cheek-teeth are of the shearing type, the canines long. 



The Tiger (Felis tigris), which with the lion shares the dis- 

 tinction of being the largest of the cats, occurs from Siberia and 

 China through much of southern Asia as far as the islands of 

 Sumatra, Java, and Bali. Various subspecies have been named, 

 and the tigers from Sumatra, Java, and Bali have each been 

 described as different. The Sumatran race (sumatrce) is sup- 

 posed to be smaller than the Bengal tiger, more fully striped, 

 and to have less white on the underparts. The Javan tiger 

 (sondaica) differs chiefly in skull characters. The Bali race 

 (balica) is still smaller. The markings, colors, and sexes of 

 tigers from the same locality differ so greatly that it is doubt- 

 ful whether these subspecies are valid. The tiger lives in thick 

 jungle and feeds on deer, pigs, and often the cattle of the na- 

 tives. 



The Leopard or Panther (Felis pardus) occurs throughout 

 southern and eastern Asia. South of the Malay Peninsula it is 

 found only in Java and the Kangean Islands. Reports of its 

 occurrence on Sumatra have never been substantiated. After 

 the tiger, the leopard is the largest of the Asiatic cats. It is 

 easily recognized by its large size — head and body from three 

 and one-half to four feet long, tail from two and one-half to 

 three feet in length — and by the character of its spots. Clusters 

 of spots, or rosettes appear on the back and sides, and solid 

 spots on its head, limbs, and belly. The leopard of Java and the 

 Kangean Islands (melas) is distinguished by its small size, its 

 short, dark, richly colored coat, and small, close-set rosettes. 

 The black or melanistic form of the leopard is only a color 

 phase of the regular leopard and does not represent a different 

 species, as many believe. Even in the blackest individual the 

 spots are visible in certain lights. The black phase is common 



