2 ARKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 8. N:0 16. 



Felis concolor 1 söderströmii n. subsp. 



A very dark Puma of medium size. The upper parts from 

 head to tail are thickly overlaid with shiny black, which on the 

 back is quite dominating över the brownish terra cotta which 

 only shines through. The fur is basally blackish, the outer 

 half brownish terra cotta (Datjthenay: Kép. de Coul. 322, 

 between 3 and 4), and finally provided with long black tips. 

 On the upper neck the black tips are not so long and conse- 

 quently more of the reddish colour shines through; the same 

 is also the case with the crown of the head where the hairs also 

 are more erect and directed forwards. On the sides of the body 

 and the neck the colour is duller, inclining to dark fawn (Eép. 

 de Coul. 307. 1 — 2), overlaid with the black tips of the hairs. 

 This colour extends över the anterior side of the före legs and 

 outer side of hind legs and feet. The posteri or side of the före 

 legs is more reddish, similar to brownish terra cotta (322. 1, 

 1. c.) without black tips. The inside of the före legs is dusky 

 whitish, partly suffused with dull buffish brown, which colour 

 forms two faint cross bars below the elbow. The hairs around 

 the pads of the före as well as hind feet are black. A large 

 patch (behind and) above the posteri or large pad of all feet is 

 greyish white with the dusky basal parts of the hair shining 

 through. The face is dark due to the black tips to the hair. 

 A greyish white spöt above either eye. A black moustache 

 from the nose to the upper lip extends half way to the corner 

 of the mouth, but below the nose and this black stripe the upper 

 lip is white. Some of the anterior whiskers are brownish black, 

 the greatest number and the largest, even those emanating 

 from the black moustache-area, are pure white. Posterior 

 side of ears black with a grey spöt near the base of the inner 

 margin. Sides of head greyish with a suf fusion of brownish 

 terracotta (322. 1, 1. c); cheeks whitish with a slight similar 

 suffusion. Chin and throat white. The före neck is somewhat 

 lighter than the palest shade of dark fawn (307. 1, 1. c). The 

 chest between the före legs whitish with a tinge of dark fawn, 

 but further back the lower side of the breast has a colour, 

 which falls between dead leaf (321. 1, 1. c.) and rust red (318. 1, 



1 This suspecies is probably most nearly related to Merriam's Felis 

 bangsi, but as all Pumas appear to be only geographic subspecies of one 

 and the same species the o!d Linnean name is retained. 



