CARNIVORA : FELID.E. 25 



The Genus Felis true Cats is characterized by a 

 long and tapering, sometimes tufted tail, and by the 

 molars, which are ^. 



The Lion, F. leo, Linn., inhabiting Africa except the 

 Nile countries, Arabia, Persia, and a large part of India, 

 is the strongest and most courageous of all the cats. It is 

 readily distinguished by its uniform tawny color, by the 

 tuft of hair at the end of the tail, and by the long, flowing 

 mane of the male. The largest individuals are eight or 

 nine feet long, exclusive of the tail. The lioness is smaller 

 than the lion, and has no mane. The appearance of this 

 animal is noble, his gait stately, his strength very great ; 

 his roar is tremendous and often terrific. 



The Royal Tiger, F. tigris, Buff., of India and north- 

 ward, is as large as the lion, with a longer body and 

 rounder head. The color is lively fawn above, irregu- 

 larly striped with black ; below, pure white. There is 

 no animal that he will not attack, even engaging in 

 conflicts with the lion, which sometimes prove fatal to 

 both. 



The American Tiger, or Jaguar, F. onca, Linn., of Texas 

 to Patagonia nearly, is somewhat smaller than the last, 

 clear brownish-yellow above ; beneath white, spotted. 

 On the sides of the body there is a series of polygonal 

 figures with borders composed of black blotches enclos- 

 ing a light area, with a few blotches in the centre. 



The Panther, F. pardus, Linn., of Africa and India, is 

 fawn-colored above and white beneath, with six or seven 

 rows of black spots or blotches on each flank. 



The Leopard, T. leopardus, Linn., of Africa and India, 

 is similar to the last, but has ten rows of smaller spots. 

 This and the Panther are smaller than the Jaguar. 



The Puma, or American Panther, F. concolor, Linn.,, 

 of Canada to Southern Patagonia, is the largest of the 

 American Cats except the Jaguar, being larger than the 



