THE CATS. 21 



cosmopolitan distribution. The Cats of the New World are, 

 however, as a rule, markedly distinct from those of the Old, 

 although the Lynxes form a marked exception to this rule. 

 Exclusive of the Old World Caracal, these animals are, how- 

 ever, essentially a northern group ; and it is therefore not 

 surprising to find the common Lynx of Europe and Asia so 

 closely allied to the Canadian Lynx as, in the opinion of many 

 competent zoologists, to be no more than a local race. As a 

 whole, the New World is not so rich in Cats as the Old ; but it 

 is noteworthy that in both hemispheres spotted, striped, and 

 uniformly-coloured species occur. It is only, however, in the 

 former that we meet with a species (the Jaguar) in which the 

 dark rosettes have a central black spot ; while the great tawny 

 American Cat (the Puma) differs from its Old World analogue, 

 the Lion, in having been derived from a spotted instead of a 

 striped ancestor. Moreover, the only striped American species 

 is the Pampas Cat, in which the stripes are but poorly de- 

 veloped ; and accordingly, if Dr. Eimer's theory of coloration 

 be the true one, it would seem that in this respect the New 

 World Felidtz are less specialised than their Old World cousins. 



Europe at the present day is remarkably poor in species of 

 the Family, having only the Wild Cat, the common Lynx, and 

 the Spanish Lynx. The warmer parts of Asia and Africa, on 

 the other hand, may be regarded as the headquarters of the 

 Family; and it is here only that we meet with the Hunting- 

 Leopard, which is not the sole representative of its genus, but 

 is likewise common to the two continents. The only other 

 species found both in Asia and Africa are the Lion, the 

 Leopard, the Jungle Cat, and the Caracal, although a few 

 essentially African species range into Syria. As regards the 

 smaller Cats, several Afri :an species appear to be peculiar to 

 the forest districts on the western side of that continent. 



As regards their geological distribution, it is not a little 



