T I G 



441 



T I G 



7. Fells Sereal, comprising F. Serral and F. Capemis, 

 Linn., the Chat-pard of Desmarest, and the Caracal ot 

 Bruce. 



8. Felis cervaria. For the characters of this and the 

 seven species of Lynx which follow it in M. Temminck's 

 monograph, see LYNX, vol. xiv., p. 217. 



16. Felis Cat us. [FELID.E, vol. x., p. 221.] 



17. Felts mtiniculata. [FELID., p. 222.] 



18. Felis minula, identical with the Felis Javanensis 

 of Horsfield's ' Zoological Researches in Java,' and there- 

 fore not to be adopted. 



Section 2. 

 This comprises the Felidte of the New Western World. 



19. Felis concolor, the Puma. [LioN.] 



20. Felis Onca, the Jaguar. [LEOPARDS, vol. xiii., 

 p. 434.] 



21. Felis Jagifarondi. 



22. Felis celidogantcr. Bought by M. Temminck at the 

 sale of Mr. Bullock's collection, for the museum of the 

 Netherlands. 



2J. Felis rufa, Guldenst. Bay-Cat of Pennant : with 

 this M. Temminck describes also a specimen brought from 

 Mexico, which may prove distinct. Bought by 51. Tem- 

 minck at Mr. Bullock's sale for the museum of the Nether- 

 lands. 



24. Felis pardali.i, the Ocelot. 



25. Felis macroura, N.B. These two last confounded 

 together by Linnaeus under the name of F. pardalis. The 

 Mexican Tiger of Pennant is said to appear to be a repre- 

 sentation of F. macroura. 



26. Felix miti*, the Chati, F. Cuv. 

 27- Felis tigriiiit. 



This monograph, as far as it goes, has been of great 

 benefit ; but the student should examine the menageries 

 and museums, as well as the works of other authors, and he 

 will find several cats noticed both before and since the 

 publication of M. Temminck'a catalogue. Among other 

 authorities the publications of d'Azaia, of Sir Stamford 

 Raffles, of M. F. Cuvier, of M. Desmarest, of Mr. .1. E. 

 Gray, of Dr. Horsfield, and Mr. Vigors in the Znolnffienl 

 Journal, of Dr. Horslicld in the Xoo/oyicul Hem-arches in 

 Jnni, of Prince Maximilian, of M. Lesson, of Sir William 

 Jardine (Naturtt/ixf\ /.i/n-nri/. Miinii/in/iii.\dl. \\.,Felina-), 

 and of Mr. 1 lanvin (Zoology of the Beagle), may be con- 

 sulted with advantage. 



Dr. Horsfield and Mr. Vigors (Zool. Jour., vol. iv., p. 

 380) remark that they are not of M. Temminck's opinion, 

 that the determination of species in such groups us these 

 re-K upon any examination, however acute, of preserved 

 specimens in cabinets, or in any research, however exten-J 

 sive. into the stores of furriers. Such examination, they | 

 think, leads to conjecture ; probable and plausible conjec- 

 ture, it may be true, but still conjecture, and not facts. 

 They add that we are in this way as likely to fall into (he 

 error of confounding true species as into that of creating 

 nominal ones, and they express their opinion that the 

 truth can be satisfactorily attained only by diligent re- 

 searches in the native country of these animals, or by 

 accurate observations on their changes and differences as 

 to sex, age, and season, when in a living state and in con- 

 finement. 



M. Temminck, in his Tableau Methodique (1827), states 

 that then there were known thirty distinct species of cats 

 and seven or eight other doubtful indications. 



ASIATIC TIGKR-CATS. 



Example, Felis Nepalensis, Horsf. and Vig. 



Description. Size of Felis Jiiennenxin, Horsf., but its 

 habit more slender, the tail and neck proportionally elon- 

 gate. Ground-colour grey, with a very slight admixture 

 of tawny ; bands and spots of the head, back, neck, throat, 

 abdomen, and thighs, deep black ; superior longitudinal 

 bands resembling those of F. Javanentu. Ground-colour 

 of throat and abdomen nearly white ; the lower flanks 

 marked with a faint tawny longitudinal streak. Cheeks 

 streaked with two parallel longitudinal lines, at the ter- 

 mination of which follows a transverse lunar mark which 

 passes with a bold curve to the angle of the mouth, near 

 which a very narrow band cresses the throat. Sides of the 

 neck appearing marked with two broad waving bands, at 

 the termination of which stands an oblong regularly 

 band. Neck underneath nearly immaculate. 

 Shoulder and flanks exhibiting irregular, diversified marks, 

 P. C., No. 1543. 



the anterior oblong, the posterior angular, of a mixed 

 tawny and black, and, individually, above or posteriorly 

 with a broad dash of saturated black: they are scattered 

 over the sides without any regular longitudinal disposition ; 

 but they have generally an oblique direction. Abdomen 

 marked throughout with uniform oval spots ; anterior 

 thighs within exhibiting one, the posterior thighs two 

 broad black bands. Hump and thighs marked externally 

 with roundish or oblong spots. Tail above, to within 

 about an inch of the tip, with uniform roundish spots, 

 arranged posteriorly in regular transverse bands. Plead 

 above and ears agreeing generally with those of F. Javan- 

 ensis. Length from extremity of nose to root of tail, 1 foot 

 10.} inches. Length of tail 10$ inches. (Vig. and Horsf.) 

 Dr. Horsfield and Mr. Vigors observe that the distin- 

 guishing characters of this species are, its comparatively 

 lengthened habit; the slenderness and proportional length 

 of the tail ; the disposition of the marks on the flanks, and 

 the character of these marks as far as regards their diversi- 

 fied form ; and the saturated black patch with which 

 they are individually marked at their upper or posterior 

 edge. 



' In the Bengal Cat,' say those zoologists, ' these marks 

 have a different disposition ; they are oblong, and arranged 

 on the flanks in regular succession longitudinally. The 

 materials contained in the museum at the India House 

 have enabled us to make this statement, which is founded 

 on the examination of a specimen brought by General 

 Hardwicke, and on a careful drawing prepared under the 

 eyes of Dr. Hamilton. We have thus two distinct species 

 of small cats from India, and the elucidation of this point, 

 is of some importance, as it appears, from the following 

 remark in M. Temminck's monographs, " texistence de 

 cette espece ilniia I'l/nle ii'rst pas constatee" that he enter- 

 tained some doubts on the existence of the Bengal Cat. 

 It is not our intention, at present, to give a comparative 

 analysis of all the species which resemble our animal. The 

 discrimination of many species of Felis is at all times a 

 difficult subject; and on many of them naturalists still 

 disagree. Our immediate object is to indicate a new form 

 of Felis, from the upper provinces of India, differing essen- 

 tially from that which is found in the plains of Bengal ; 

 and so direct the attention of naturalists in that country to 

 a more careful investigation of the various Oriental species 

 of this interesting genus.' 



The same authors state that the specimen in the collec- 

 tion of the Zoological Society of London was presented by 

 Captain Farrer, of the East India Company's service. It 

 came immediately from Calcutta, where it was said to have 

 been sent from Nepal. It lived some time in the Society's 

 gardens, but was extremely wild and savage. It generally 

 remained in a sitting posture, like that of the common 

 Domestic Cut, and never paced its den in the manner of 

 most other animals of the group. (Zool. Journ., vol. iv.) 



Felis Ncpali'il is. 



AFRICAN TIGER-CATS. 



Example, Felis fit-mil, the Serval. 



Description. Upper parts clear yellowish, with black- 

 spots ; lower parts white, with black spots also, but. they 

 are less numerous. Upon the head and neck the markings 

 are most conspicuous, and form symmetrical lines on 

 each side directed towards the shoulders. On the other 

 parts of the body they are placed irregularly. On the 

 back they are lengthened, and show a disposition to form 

 four rows; on the body and thighs they are larger and 

 round, and they are smaller but equally round on the ex- 

 tremities. Upon the face and muzzle they are minute, 



VOL. XXIV. 3 L 



