THE CATS. 17 
arranged in more or less continuous lines, as if they had been 
formed by the breaking up of longitudinal stripes, and it is 
evident that if this were really their origin, a further con- 
tinuance of the same process would result in the production 
of spots. One variety of the Tiger Cat (7 ¢igrina) affords an 
instance of the transition from a streaked to a spotted type 
of coloration. 
Spots are the most common type of ornamentation assumed 
py the Fe/ide, although these vary greatly in form and size in 
the different species. Simple solid black spots, of comparatively 
small size, are found in the Serval (4é/s serva/) and the Hun- 
ting-Leopard (Cyne@lurus jubatus) ; and these would appear to 
present the original modification of this type of coloration. In 
the Leopard (#: pardus) the spots have, however, become 
broken up into rosettes, formed by imperfect rings of small 
spots surrounding a light area, which may or may not be 
darker than the general ground-colour of the fur. In the 
Ounce (/ wacia) the rings are larger and more complete, 
while the central area is decidedly darker than the rest of 
the fur. A further development is presented by the Jaguar 
(F. onca) in which not only is the rosette formed by a com- 
plete ring and the enclosed area darker, but there is a solid 
black spot in the centre of each rosette. By the union of two 
or more rosette-like spots, with the central area darker than the 
rest of the fur, may be evolved the pattern characteristic of 
the Ocelot (7: Aardalis), in which we have elongated tawny 
or chestnut blotches, each surrounded by a black border, run- 
ning obliquely downwards and backwards on the sides of the 
body. A further step will bring us to the clouded type, as 
exemplified by the Clouded Leopard (/ medbulosa) and the 
Marbled Cat (“2 marmorata), in which the dark blotches have 
become larger, broader, and more squared, with the black 
edgings confined to their hinder borders. 
7 Cc 
