94 THE MARGAY THE SERVAL. 



of the same colour extends along the top of its back from head 

 to tail. Its shoulders, sides, and rump, are beautifully marbled 

 with long stripes of black, forming oval figures, filled in the mid- 

 dle with small black spots, and its tail is irregularly marked with 

 similar spots. The colours of the female are less vivid, and also 

 less beautifully arranged, than those of the male. In shape, this 

 animal resembles the common cat, but is much larger, being, 

 according to Buffon, two feet and an half high, and four feet in 

 length. 



The ocelot is a native of South America, and is also found in 

 North America. It lives chiefly in the mountains, and conceals 

 itself in the leafy tops of trees, from whence it darts upon such 

 animals as come within its reach. It sometimes stretches itself 

 along the branches, as if it were dead, till the monkeys, prompted 

 by their natural curiosity, come within its reach, and experience 

 the fatality of their mistake. 



THE MARGAY 



Is smaller than the ocelot, being nearly of the size of the wild 

 cat, which it resembles in its habits and characteristic propensi- 

 ties. It is sometimes called the Cayenne cat, and is common in 

 Brazil, and various parts of South America. Several species of 

 this animal are found in India, and in the southern parts of Af- 

 rica ; but these in general have been so negligently observed, or 

 so injudiciously represented by travellers, as to render it impos- 

 sible, from their relations, to form any perfect description of this 

 animal, which constitutes one of the many desiderata of natural 

 history. Its colours vary, but in genei \\ it is tawny, the face and 

 body marked with stripes and spots of black, the breast and in- 

 sides of the legs white, and spotted with black, and the tail long 

 and alternately spotted with grey, black, and tawny. On the 

 whole, the margay is a most beautiful animal. In some parts, it 

 is known by the name of the tiger-cat. 



THE SERVAL 



Is another quadruped of the cat kind, that inhabits the moun- 

 tainous parts of India. It is also a beautiful animal, somewhat 

 larger than the wild cat. The general colour is a pale yellow, 

 but white on the belly and breast : its whole body is variegated 

 with black spots, equally distributed in every part : its eyes are 

 extremely brilliant and piercing, its tail short, and its feet armed 

 with long hooked claws. 



It is extremely fierce, but avoids mankind, unless provoked, 

 when it darts furiously on the offender, attacking him with teeth 

 and claws, in the same manner as the panther. It is seldom seen 

 on the ground, but lives chiefly in trees, where it makes its nest, 



