THE SERVAL CAT 



21 



and other Zoological Gardens will demonstrate 

 the fallacy of many popular ideas concerning the 

 mammalia. Thus the (alleged) intractable zebra 

 may be as docile as a pony ; the mild-eyed eland 

 is by no means to be trusted ; the savage sable 

 antelope can be half-tamed, and the lynx, although 

 naturally as fierce and as strong as a leopard, will 

 sometimes allow himself to be pulled about like a 

 huge, over-grown kitten. As regards Felis setval, 

 it must be remembered that all wild animals act 

 on the defensive in the presence of man, whom 

 they instinctively fear as a common enemy ; only 

 those individuals whose minds are naturally im- 

 pressionable will become tame, the others, from 

 some unknown factor, remaining savage, even 

 after long confinement. A half-tame animal may 

 be amiable towards those it knows, but vicious 

 towards strangers ; this may be illustrated by a 

 typical instance. 



A young serval had been brought to Europe 

 from Uganda, and in consequence of much 

 attention, became strongly attached to its keeper, 

 who soon had his pet docile, tame, and indeed 

 affectionate all that could be desired. The 

 attendant, having had occasion to go out, left me 

 with the serval loose in the room. Shut up with 

 a stranger, the animal at once lost his wits, and 

 retreated into a corner. On advancing towards 

 him, he bristled up angrily, snarling like a leopard ; 



