trife CATS, if 



arranged in more or less continuous lines, as if they had been 

 formed by the breaking up of longitudinal stripes, and it is 

 evident that if this were really their origin, a further con- 

 tinuance of the same process would result in the production 

 of spots. One variety of the Tiger Cat (F tigrina) affords an 

 instance- of the transition from a streaked to a spotted type 

 of coloration. 



Spots are the most common type of ornamentation assumed 

 Dy the Felidm i although these vary greatly in form and size in 

 the different species. Simple solid black spots, of comparatively 

 small size, are found in the Serval (Felis serval) and the Hun- 

 ting-Leopard {Cymcelurus jubatus) ; and these would appear to 

 present the original modification of this type of coloration. In 

 the Leopard (F pardus) the spots have, however, become 

 broken up into rosettes, formed by imperfect rings of small 

 spots surrounding a light area, which may or may not be 

 darker than the general ground-colour of the fur. In the 

 Ounce (F undo) the rings are larger and more complete, 

 while the central area is decidedly darker than the rest of 

 the fur. A further develop ment is presented by the Jaguar 

 (F. oncd) in which not only is the rosette formed by a com- 

 plete ring and the enclosed area darker, but there is a solid 

 black spot in the centre of each rosette. By the union of two 

 or more rosette-like spots, with the central area darker than the 

 rest of the fur, may be evolved the pattern characteristic of 

 the Ocelot (F. partialis)) in which we have elongated tawny 

 or chestnut blotches, each surrounded by a black border, run- 

 ning obliquely downwards and backwards on the sides of the 

 body. A further step will bring us to the clouded type, as 

 exemplified by the Clouded Leopard (F. nebulosa) and the 

 Marbled Cat (F. marmorata), in which the dark blotches have 

 become larger, broader, and more squared, with the black 

 edgings confined to their hinder borders. 



7 c 



