FELIS. 



29 



Tail shorter than the hody ; ears i^enciUed at the tip. 



Felis ornata, Gray, Illust. Lnl. Zool. ; P. Z. S. 1867, p. 401 ; 

 Jet don, Mam. of Ind., p. 310; Murray, Hdhk., Zool., S)'c., Slnd, p. 86. 

 Eelis torquata, Gray, Jerd. Mam. Ind., p. 110. Chaus ornatas, (xraiy, 

 P.Z. S. 1867, p. 275; Cat. Mam.Br.Mus.,p. 35.— The Spotted Wild Cat. 



Fur short, pale yellowish, more or less fulvescent, or grayish 

 fulvous, with numerous small black roundish spots, linear on the 

 middle of the back, head, nape and shoulders; and on the hinder part of 

 the sides small and round ; on the thighs and upper part of the legs, 

 confluent, forming interrupted bands. One or two black streaks 

 within the arm. Tail reaching to or below the heel, with a well-defined 

 series of black rings, l^ip black. Ears externally dull rufous, with a 

 very small dusky pencil tuft. Crown with lines of small spots. Cheeks 

 striped with two narrow dark lines. Chin, throat and spot over the 

 eyes whitish. Belly with or without a few spots. 



Length. — Head and body 19 inches, tail 8 inches or more. 



Common nearly throughout the Province, in gardens, grass thickets, 

 &c., and occasionally on the river banks. It does much mischief in 

 poultry yards, and has been known to carry away rabbits insecurely 

 penned. Commonly its chief food consists of field rats, and such game 

 as it can secure among birds. 



Hah. — Sind, Kutch, the Punjab Salt Eange, and Hazara; has also 

 been found in Central India. 



Felis chaus, Giddenst; Jerd. Mam. Ind., p. Ill; Murray, 

 Edhh., Zool., §-c., Sind, p. 86. Felis Jacquemonti, Is. Geof. Voy. Jacq. 

 t. 3 f. 1-2. Chaus Jacquemonti, Gray, Cat. Mam. Br. M., p. 34. Chaus 

 libycus. Gray, F. Z. S. 1867, p. 275. Mohta Rahn MaJijur, Deccan ; 

 Juvg-hillee, Sind. — The Common Jungle Cat. 



Colour of fur dirty palish ochre-yellow, darker on the back and 

 lighter on the under parts ; the hairs or bristles are of the same colour 

 at bottom, have a dark brown l*ing in the middle, and at the tip are of 

 a grayish yellow, whitish or satfron colour, so that the appearance 

 produced is a mixed colouring of grayish yellow and dirty white. Many 

 of the hairs have a black tip, and on the sides, where they are close-set, 

 they form pale black perpendicular or oblique spiral lines, and here and 

 thei-e single black points. The hairs of the back are of a light ochre- 

 yellow, with points almost of a saffron colour, and form from the 

 shoulders to the tail a yellow sti-ipe, which is darkest on the cross. 

 The nose is black ; above the eye is a large white spot, and below it a 

 smaller one. A black streak from the eye to the muzzle. Edges of 

 the lip bordered with black, and a fine white ring encircles them ; eye- 

 brows and cheek, whitish. Inner surface of ear, towards its outside, 

 bordered by yellowish white hair ; back of the ear grey brown or 

 rufous brown, with terminating black tufts from j to ^ inch long. 

 Cheeks, lower jaw, throat, neck and chest ochreous yellow ; the belly 

 much paler, inclining to whitish yellow. Limbs with four more 

 or less distinct dark stripes externally, and two or three internally. 



