The Fishing-Cat 



In order to exercise its fish-catching propensities this 

 species generally takes up its residence in marshy- 

 situations, on the banks of swamps and rivers, where 

 it also feeds on the large snails known as Ampul- 

 lar i^e. In spite of its comparatively small size, it 

 is a vicious creature, frequently levying toll on 

 poultry and such domesticated quadrupeds as it is able 

 to destroy. 



THE LEOPARD-CAT 



{Felis bengalensis) 



Native Names. — Chita -billa (spotted cat), Hindu- 

 stani ; Ban-hiral^ Bengali ; Wagati^ among the 

 Mahrathas of the Ghats ; Thit-kyoung^ Araka- 

 nese ; Kye-thit^ Thit-kyuk^ and Kya-gyuk^ Burmese ; 

 Kla-hla OF the Talains and Karens ; Rimau- 

 akar, Malay. 



(Plate viii, fig. 8) 



Of all the smaller Indian felines the leopard-cat 

 is perhaps the most abundant and most generally 

 distributed. Compared with the fishing-cat it is a 

 smaller and more "leggy" animal, being, in fact, 

 somewhat inferior in size to an ordinary domestic cat, 

 but with proportionately longer limbs. As regards 

 colour and markings, it is extremely variable, and 

 consequently difficult to describe ; but since there is 

 no other species with which it is liable to be confounded, 

 the description need not on the present occasion be 

 detailed. As a rule, the ground-colour of the fur- 

 of the upper-parts varies from yellowish grey to bright 

 yellow ; and on this are dark brown spots and streaks, 

 which also extend on to the white under-parts, while 

 the extremity of the long tail is marked by black 

 transverse bars. The majority of the dark markings 

 take the form of more or less elongated spots, but 



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