THE RUST V-SPOTTED CAT. 133 



the upper part of the breast are four broken bands of foxy-red ; 

 belly covered with large brown spots, becoming rufous between 

 the hind-legs. Inner sides of hind-legs buff, with cross -bands 

 of foxy-red, and covered with small reddish spots to the toes. 

 Tail thick, rather short, bushy, darker than the body, with 

 several incomplete broken rings of blackish-brown. Inside of 

 ear buff, behind black." In the skull the nasal region is much 

 narrowed, the orbit is slightly incomplete behind, and there is 

 a small anterior pre-molar. 



The Felis microtis, from Pekin and Mongolia, is identified 

 with this form by Mr. Elliot in his " Monograph of the Felidse," 

 although Professor Mivart regards it as not improbably distinct. 

 Having the general coloration of the Chinese variety of the 

 Leopard-Cat, it has very small errs, long, soft, and abundant 

 fur, with reddish and somewhat confluent spots ; the white spot 

 behind the ear divided into two moieties by a dark vertical 

 streak, and the tail is not distinctly spotted. 



Further evidence as to the unity or distinctness of these 

 two forms is required, while the writer is by no means assured 

 whether either are more than well-marked races of the 

 Leopard-Cat. As in the case of other forms from the same 

 region, nothing has been recorded in regard to the habits of 

 this Cat. 



XVII. THE RUSTY-SPOTTED CAT. FELIS RUBIGINOSA. 



Felis rublglnosa, I. Geoffroy, in Belanger's Voyage Indes 



Orient, p. 140 (1834); Elliot, Monogr. Felidae, pi. 



xxix. (1878-83); Blanford, Mamra. Brit. India, p. 81 



(1888). 

 Viverriceps rublginosa, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 269 ; 



id., Cat. Carniv. Mamra. Brit. Mus. p. 18 (1869). 

 Characters. — This pretty little Indian Cat has had its dis- 

 tinctive characteristics so fully noticed under the head of 



