FELIS. 75 



in longitudinal bands. There are black spots on the outside of the 

 limbs, the upper surface of the tail, and usually on the lower parts ; 

 but those on the belly are very variable, being sometimes large and 

 distinct, sometimes almost imperceptible. The inside of the limbs 

 and the chest are banded or spotted, and there are the usual cheek- 

 stripes. Two interrupted bauds, one from the inner corner of 

 each eye over the head, are continued as well-marked black stripes 

 on the hind neck, spots or bands intervening between them on the 

 head but not on the neck. The underfur is rich brown. Accord- 

 ing to Blyth, the ground-colour becomes more fulvous with age. 



Dimensions. Length of head and body 18 1 to 23 inches, tail 14 

 to 15j|, ears from crown of head 2 (Jerdon). The basal length of 

 a skull is 2-95 inches, zygomatic breadth 2*6. 



Distribution. The marbled cat is found in Sikhim and the Eastern 

 Himalayas, and in the hilly regions of Assam, Burma, and the Malay 

 countries, extending to Sumatra, Java, and, it is said, Borneo. 

 This animal has not been recorded from Nepal. 



Habits. Nothing known, f. marmorata is probably arboreal, 

 like the similarly coloured F. nebulosa. In Sikhim it is said to be 

 shy and fierce. 



34. Felis temmincki. The golden Cat. 



Felis temminckii, Vigors 8f Horsf. Zool. Journ. iii, p. 451 (1828) ; 



Elliot, Mon. Pel pi. xvi. 

 Felis moormeusis *, Hodgs. Gleanings in Science, iii, p. 177 (183J); 



id. P. Z. S. 1832, p. 10; Elliot, P. Z. & 1871, p. 759. 

 Felis aurata, Blyth, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 185 ; Jerdon, Mam. p. 107 



Sclater, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 816, pi. xxxvi, nee Temm. 

 Felis nigrescens, Hodgs. Cat. Mam. $c. Nepal, B. M. 2nd edit. p. 4 



(no description). 



Size rather less than that of F. nebulosa. Pupil very slightly 

 elliptical in a strong light, round in general. Tail about two thirds 

 the length of the head and body, almost the same thickness through- 

 out. Caudal vertebra? 22. Ears short, rounded. Fur of moderate 

 length, dense, rather harsh. 



Skull with the orbits nearly complete behind. Lower surface of 

 presphenoid very narrow and bordered by parallel lines. 



Colour. Deep ferruginous or chestnut, darker (bay) along the back, 

 paler on the sides, still paler and whitish below ; chin and lower 

 surface of tail to the tip white, the tip above is dusky. There are 

 some round dusky spots on the breast, between and behind the 

 axils, and, in some specimens, on the inside of the fore limbs, and 

 less distinct markings, forming imperfect bands, on the throat. 

 The lower side of the tarsi and feet are brown. The markings on 

 the face are peculiar and somewhat variable ; the most conspicuous 

 is a horizontal white or buff cheek-stripe, sometimes edged with 

 black, from below the eye to behind the gape ; a whitish band 



* The spelling was subsequently corrected to murmcnsis by Hodgson himself 

 in several publications, e. g. Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist, iv, p. 286. 



