184 LLOYD’S NATURAL HISTORY. 
ally black or blackish. Lenggh of head and body, from 22 to 26 
inches ; tail, with the hair at the end, 10 to 11 inches ; height at 
shoulder, 14 to 15 inches. 
Distribution.—The Jungle Cat is one of the few Cats common 
to Africa and India, and has the following extensive range : 
North Africa, inclusive of Egypt, Nubia, and Barbary ; South 
Africa, at least as far as the Orange River ; Asia Minor and 
Palestine ; shores of the Caspian, and West and Southern 
Persia ; Afghanistan, Candahar, India, Ceylon, Assam, and 
Burma. In India the species is universally distributed from 
the Himalaya and Sind to the extreme south. Neither by Mr 
Blanford, in his ‘“‘ Mammals of British India,” nor by Mr. W. L. 
Sclater, in his ‘‘ Catalogue of Mammalia in the Indian Museum,” 
is the Jungle Cat spoken of as from Southern Africa. It is, 
however, recorded from that region by Messrs. Nicolls and 
Eglington, in the “The Sportsman in South Africa,” who write 
as follows :—“ This species, which is rarely found south of the 
Orange River, but is common within the tropics, seems to 
be often confounded with the Booted Lynx (felis caligata), 
which does not appear to be known south of the Zambesi.” 
Although their description accords exactly with that of the 
present species, it is a little difficult to determine the animal 
referred to as the Booted Lynx, Ze/is caligata being a 
synonym of £&. caffra, and that species being recorded by the 
authors from the Cape district. During the Pleistocene period 
the Jungle Cat appears to have ranged into Western Europe ; 
remains from Germany having been assigned to this species 
by Professor Nehring of Berlin. 
Habits.—In South Africa, where it is known as the Reed 
Cat (fet-Kat of the Dutch), the Jungle Cat, according to 
Messrs, Nicolls and Eglington, may “be found frequenting low 
marshy ground in which there is plenty of cover in the shape 
of reeds, or in the thick bush bordering the rivers and lakes ; 
