THE PAMPAS CAT. 1 75 



cene age in Central Europe remains of this species have been 

 discovered by Dr. Nehring, of Berlin, and described by him 

 (S.B. Nat. Fr. Berlin, for 1889, p. 109). 



Habits. — An inhabitant of the deserts of Central Asia, Pallas's 

 Cat lives among rocks, where it preys on the smaller Mam- 

 mals and birds. From the rigours of the severe climate of 

 these regions, it has an ample protection in its abundant coat 

 of hair ; and the fact of its remains occurring in the Pleisto- 

 cene deposits of Europe associated with those of other desert 

 Mammals, has led to the inference that at that epoch steppe- 

 like conditions prevailed over portions of the Continent. In 

 Siberia the chief food of this species is stated to consist of 

 Picas, or Tail-less Hares (Lago7nys). 



XXXIII. THE PAMPAS CAT. FELIS PAJEROS. 



Felts pajeros, Desmarest, Mammalogie, p. 231 (1820) \ Elliot, 



Monograph of Felidse, pi. xi. (1873-88) ; Mivart, The Cat, 



p. 423 (1881); Matschie, S.B. Nat. Fr. Berlin, 1894, p. 60. 



Fajeros pampatius, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 269; id., 



Cat. Carniv. Mamm. Brit. Mus. p. 18 (1869). 

 Felt's passeritm, Sclater, List Vert. Anim. Zool. Gardens, p. 40 

 (1872); Aplin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1894, p. 298. 

 Characters. — Curiously similar in general appearance, as well 

 as in the length of its hair, to the preceding species the South 

 America Pampas Cat, Grass-Cat, or Paja-Cat (Gato pajero of 

 the Portuguese) may be distinguished as follows : Size about 

 equal to that of the Wild Cat, but the build more robust, the 

 head smaller and the tail shorter. The long hair yellowish- 

 grey in colour, marked with transverse bands of yellow or 

 brown, running obliquely from the back to the flanks. From 

 the eyes two bars cross each cheek to meet beneath the throat; 

 legs and tail marked with darkish bands ; under-parts whitish. 

 Skull very convex and short ; the nasal region much com- 



