CHAPTER V. 



THE OCELOTS AND THE CATS. 



THE MARBLED CAT — THE TIGER CATS — THE COMMON OCELOT — THE PAINTED OCELOT — THE EGRA 

 — THE CHATI— THE LONG-TAILED CAT — THE PAMPAS CAT — THE CLOUDED TIGER — THE COLO- 

 COTS — THE EUROPEAN WILDCAT — THE MANOL — THE DWARF CAT — THE EGYPTIAN CAT — 

 LETTING THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG — THE COMMON CAT — THE MALAY CAT — THE WEASEL 

 CAT — THE SERVAL. 



WE now have arrived at the smaller members of the genus, 

 which are usually grouped together under the title of 

 Ocelots or Tiger CAxe. They are all most beautiful 

 creatures, their fur being diversified with brilliant contrasts of a dark 

 spot, streak or dash upon a lighter ground, and their movements grace- 

 tul and elegant. The link between the panthers and the cats is perhaps 

 to be found in the Marbled Cat. 



The Marbled Cat, FcHs marmoraUis, is about three feet in length, 

 mcluding a foot and a half of tail. The color of its fur is yellow, with a 

 light red shade marked with dark spots. On the forehead and over the 

 top of the head two black stripes nui and unite to form one longitudinal 

 band along the spine, which, however, again divides before reaching the 

 tail. Other dark stripes run obliquely from the back of the neck down- 

 ward ; the shoulders are covered with horseshoe-shaped spots, and the 

 limbs are covered thickly with black dots. The ears are short and 

 rounded, externally of a silver-gray color with a black border. The 

 bushy tail is yellowish and ringed. 



The Marbled Cat inhabits the mountains of Southeastern Asia, in- 

 cluding Borneo and Sumatra. Nothing is known of its habits when 

 wild ; m captivit}' its conduct resembled that of the Ocelot. 



THE TIGER CATS. 



The Ocelot, Fells pardalis (Plate IX), is common in the tropical 

 regions of America, and is found in Texas as far north as the Red River. 



