THE SERVAL. 21$ 



result, the cat should be placed on the knees, and one hand applied to its 

 breast while the other is employed in stroking its fur. Cracklings and 

 sparkles soon make their appearance, and in a short time, if the party 

 continues to stroke the animal, he will receive a sharp electrical shock 

 that may be felt above the wrists. The cat seems to suffer as much as 

 the experimenter, for on giving forth the shock she springs to the ground 

 in terror, and seldom will permit a repetition of the same process. 



The other point is the " homeing " power of the cat. No difficulties or 

 dangers seem to prevent it from finding its way home, even from a con- 

 siderable distance and under circumstances which would cause any other 

 animal to fail. Eighteen cats, belonging to different persons, were put in 

 baskets and carried by night to a distance of three miles, when they were 

 set at liberty at a given moment. A wager was laid upon them, and the 

 cat that got home first was to be the winner. One of the animals arrived 

 at its residence within an hour, and carried off the prize. Three only 

 delayed their arrival until the next morning. 



Whether the cat can ever be used, like the carrier-pigeon, to carry 

 intelligence in time of war through the enemy's lines, remains to be seen, 



THE MARTEN CAT AND SERVAL. 



Before we pass to the next genera two other species of cats must be 

 mentioned, one a link between the cats and civets, the other between the 

 cats and lynxes. 



The Marten Cat, Felis vivcrrinus, attains the length of three feet, ten 

 inches of which must be reckoned to the tail. It is longer and lower 

 than the ordinary cat, and has a smaller head. It is found in the East 

 Indies and the adjacent islands as far as Formosa. 



The Serval, Felis serval, is commonly called by the Dutch colo- 

 nists of the Cape the " Bush cat." It is a very pretty animal, and on 

 account of the bold variegations of its fur, its skin is in great request, 

 and finds a ready sale among furriers, who know it by the name of the 

 Tiger-cat. 



The ground color of the Serval's fur is of a bright golden tint, sobered 

 with a wash of gray. The under portions of the body and the inside of 

 the limbs are nearly white. Upon this ground are placed numerous dark 

 spots, which occasionally coalesce and form stripes. In number and size 

 they are very variable. The ears are black, with a broad white band 



