BLACKFOOTED CAT 75 



town, Nervals Pont, Port Elizabeth, and Three Sisters, 

 in the Cape ; Pretoria District, Rustenburg, Settlers, 

 Nijlstroom, and Sabi in the Transvaal; and Bethelem, 

 Orange Free State. 



Felis nigripes. Blackfooted Cat. Klein Gevlekte Kat. 



Smaller than the Kaffir Cat ; and of a sandy or tawny 

 colour, covered with round or oblong very dark brown or 

 black spots. Ears slightly pointed, and of a speckly 

 brown colour. Legs ringed with black : tail indistinctly 

 dnged or spotted and tipped with black. The soles of 

 the feet are quite black, hence its name. 



This species is very distinct from the preceding, both 

 in coloration and general appearance. In coloration 

 it is more like the Serval, but is shorter on its legs, 

 besides being a much smaller and more compactly built 

 animal. Length of head and body, 20 inches. Tail, 

 6 inches (Sclater). The largest the Zoo has ever pos- 

 sessed (a fine example from Kimberley) measured 19 

 inches long, but the usual length seems to be about 

 16 inches. 



It ranges from the Central Cape Colony to the Eastern 

 Transvaal. It is not uncommon in the Pretoria District. 

 We procured two half-grown young ones while shooting 

 at Jericho in the Bushveld in June, 1914 — they were 

 hiding from the dogs in a low thick bush, and were 

 easily caught. The Gardens have had examples from 

 the following localities : Kimberley, Wolvehoek, Elands 

 Kiver, and several other places in the Transvaal. 



It is a very difficult animal to keep alive in captivity, 

 pining away and dying very suddenly. Old examples, 

 when captured, only sulk and refuse to feed. It is 

 also of a wild, retiring nature, and almost impossible to 



