THE FLAT-HEADED CAT. 12 1 



Felis aurata, Blyth, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 185 {nee Tem- 

 minck). 



Felis nigrescens, Gray, Cat. Hodgson Coll. 2nd ed. p. 4 (1863). 

 Leopardus auratus, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 265; id., 

 Cat. Carniv. Mamm. Brit. Mus. p. 12 (1869). 



Characters. — Distinguished from all the Asiatic Cats described 

 above by its medium size (rather less than that of Felis nebidosd) 

 and uniformly-coloured fur, devoid of either distinct spots or 

 stripes. General colour varying from bright ferruginous red 

 to dark brown ; tail short and not bushy ; cheeks and forehead 

 horizontally streaked with white and brown ; indistinct vestiges 

 of spots occasionally apparent on the flanks and under-parts. 

 Length of head and body in a male, 31 j£ inches ; of tail, 19 

 inches. 



Distribution. — The Eastern Himalaya, at moderate elevations, 

 from Nipal and Sikhim to the Tippera Hills ; Burma ; Malay 

 Peninsula ; Borneo ; and perhaps Sumatra. 



Habits. — In Borneo, Mr. Charles Hose says that this species 

 is very rare. Nothing has been recorded of its habits. 



XII. THE FLAT-HEADED CAT. FELIS PLANICEPS. 



Felis planieeps, Vigors and Horsfield, Zool. Journ. vol. iii. p. 



450 (1828); Elliot, Monogr. Felidae, pi. xvi. (1878-83); 



Mivart, The Cat, p. 417 (1881); Hose, Mamm. Borneo, 



p. 20 (1893). 

 Ailinura planieeps^ Gervais, Hist. Nat. Mamm. vol. ii. p. 87 



(1855)- 

 Viverriceps plafiiceps, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 269. 

 Ailurogale planieeps, Fitzinger, S.B. Ak. Berlin, 1869, p. 249. 



Characters. — General coloration similar to that of the Bay Cat, 

 but of about half the size, and having the skull of different 

 shape, with the nasal bones forming a ridge, as in the under- 



