THE CLOUDED LEOPARD. 115 



old animals the blotches tending to disappear, and thus leav- 

 ing only the darker borders. The tail is marked by numerous 

 dusky rings, frequently interrupted on the sides, and on the 

 upper surface near the body traversed by a longitudinal band. 

 The black outer surface of the ear is frequently marked with 

 a grey spot in the middle ; and there are two black horizontal 

 stripes on the cheek, the uppermost of which runs from the 

 eye ; while in some instances the margin of the upper lip may 

 be likewise black. In addition to these markings, an irregular 

 black band traverses the chin, while another crosses the throat. 

 In the Formosan variety — the so-called Leopardus brachyurns — 

 the tail is shorter than usual; although such a difference does 

 not seem of specific importance. 



Distribution. — The Himalaya, from Nipal to Sikhim and 

 Assam ; the hill regions of Burma and Siam ; the Malay Pen- 

 insula ; Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Formosa. 



Habits. — The Rimau-Dahan (Tree-Tiger), as this animal is 

 termed by the Malays, is the last of the more typical Old 

 World members of the Family entitled to rank among the 

 large Cats. Beyond the fact that it is an arboreal species, 

 living on birds and smaller mammals, practically nothing is 

 known as to its habits in the wild state ; such accounts as 

 have appeared being derived from native sources, and thus 

 of the usual untrustworthy character. Three specimens (all 

 males) had been exhibited in the London Zoological Gardens 

 up to 1883, the first of which was obtained in 1854, and the 

 third in 1875. These are said to have been tamed without 

 difficulty ; and passed most of their time in sleep. 



Writing of some specimens in captivity, Sir Stamford Raffles 

 observes that they were remarkable for their good-temper and 

 playfulness, " no domestic kitten could be more so ; they were 

 always courting intercourse with persons passing by, and in 



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