THE SERVAL CAT 



(Felts serval) 



Also known as the Tiger Bush Cat (Tijgcr-bosch-kat) : 

 Indhloti of Zulus and Swazis [Kirby) ; Indhlozi of 

 Amaxosa (Stanford) ; Tali of Bechuanas ; Tlodi of 

 Basutos (Kirby), 



The Serval inhabits the whole of Africa, but is 

 commonest in the southern portion of the conti- 

 nent. Wherever there is sufficient cover and an 

 abundance of the animals and birds on v^hich it 

 feeds, there you v^ill find the Serval. 



It is often met with on the open plains and 

 hillsides where the grass grows long and coarse, 

 but it is more partial to the reedy and bush-covered 

 banks of streams, where food in the shape of small 

 mammals and water-birds is plentiful. 



In South Africa the Serval inhabits the bush- 

 veld, and when much persecuted by man it retires 

 to the dense forests, and seldom shows itself outside 

 its leafy home. In Natal I usually found the 

 Serval in dark wooded kloofs, and in the dense 

 scrub on the sides of hills and along the banks of 

 rivers. I have never yet met with it out upon the 



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