3G 



I have seen the dark stripes on the limbs, external as well as inter- 

 nal, and very conspicuous in some specimens, although in some 

 cases they are hardly visible, while others have appeared to have 

 the grey of a far more red or rather rufous tinge. Very nearly the 

 same incident as that described by Jerdon at page 112 of his book, 

 happened to me in the Deccau ; just as I had shot a pea- fowl at the 

 edge of a field, some " nilgai" took off my attention, and when a 

 few minutes afterwards I went to pick up the bird I found it had 

 been dragged into cover and partially eaten by a large " chaus," 

 which, to my disgust, I missed with both barrels. I have killed 

 several while beating for game, and on one occasion was charged 

 most gallantly by one which while I was beating for quail, was 

 turned out by some little dogs I had with me. I gave him a charge 

 of No. 10 shot that could not have done him much harm : the dogs 

 brought him to bay in a bush, and on my approach he charged me, 

 head and tail up, quite regardless of them, and would, I imagine, 

 have left his mark on my legs if I had not stopped him. I shot a 

 very fine one in Burmah, which was standing in deep black mud, 

 probably looking for crabs, or some of the water newts that are 

 always about the edge of a Burmese creek. The most demoniacal 

 cries I have ever heard, not excepting those of the "bhaloo," " kole," 

 or " pheal jackal," whatever that mysterious animal may be, were 

 attributed by some natives with me, to the love-making of a couple 

 of these wild cats, with what truth I know not. I have never suc- 

 ceeded in rearing these cats, and I very much doubt whether the 

 specimens I have seen in captivity, People's Park at Madras and 

 Lall Baugh at Bangalore for instance, are not hybrids with the 

 domestic cat. I am convinced that the two species interbreed to a 

 greater or less extent perhaps the degrees of relationship may be 

 marked by the variety in color, or the length of the lynx-like ear 

 tuft, or the size. I am sure that I have seen some of the " chaus" 

 cats almost as high on the leg and as heavy as an ordinary jackal. 



I do not think that they are in the habit of climbing trees, I have 

 certainly often found them in long grass far out in the open plain 

 and from any tree in which they could have found shelter if pur- 

 sued by dogs. The claw is, I think, more dog-like or resembling 

 that of the hunting leopard (vide the Sketch at page 38) of these 



