Dr. Traill on Aifierlcan Animals of the Genus Felis. 375 



fierce expression of the countenances. The figui'e of the ocelot, 

 in Shaw, is an absolute caricature, and conveys no idea of 

 the sprightly motions and strength of this beautiful miniature 

 of the leopard. 



These circumstances have induced me to lay before the so- 

 ciety a fine drawingof a very beautiful jaguar from Paraguay*, 

 which was some time ago alive in Liverpool. When the ani- 

 mal arrived, it was in full health, and, though not fully grown, 

 was of very formidable size and strength. The captain who 

 brought it could venture to play with it, as it lay in one of the 

 boats on deck, to Avhich it was chained ; but it had been fa- 

 miliarised to him from the time it M^as the size of a small dog. 

 I did not venture to take measurements of it ; but it appeared 

 to be between six and seven feet in length (including the tail), 

 and to stand between two and three feet in height at the shoul- 

 der. The size of the fore-legs seemed very great in proportion 

 to the bulk of the body, and especially of the hind-legs and 

 rump of the animal. The ground-colour is bright fulvous ; 

 the fur is short, thick, and glossy, all over the body. It is 

 variegated by long chain-like spots. A chain of such spots 

 passes down the spine from the shoulders to the tail, which 

 consists chiefly of single spots ; but some of them are double. 

 On each side of this chain are several rows of open spots, 

 formed by a glossy border of black, including one or more 

 spots of the same colour. As they descend the sides of the 

 animal, these borders become interrupted, and present the 

 appearance of clusters of four irregular oblong spots, Avith oc- 

 casionally one or more small central dots. Viewed from above, 

 the back has no inconsiderable resemblance to the markings of 

 the shells of some species of tortoise, from the peculiar ar- 

 rangement of the colours, and tlie equality of the spaces be- 

 tween each cluster of spots. The face, sides of the neck, and 

 both sides of the legs, are thickly studded with small black 

 spots. The ground-colour of the lower part of the body and 

 inside of the thighs is dull-yellowish white ; but the belly is 

 spotted with large, black, irregular marks. 



The hair of the tail Ls not glossy : its upper part is marked 

 with a zigzag pattern, as in the figure ; and its lower part is 

 annulated with two or three broad blackish-brown rings, sepa- 

 rated by dull yellow stripes. There are two distinct sets of 

 vibrissae ; the first of which are the longest, and are placed 

 two or three inches before the scanty hairs of the other set. 

 The teeth are very large and strong. The whole animal liad 



* The drawing was made by Mr. Alexander Mosses, a young artist of 

 great merit, who was cmijloyed by uie for this purpose, and has succeeded 

 admirably in giving the character of tlie animal. 



an 



