86 FEUD.*-. 



Colour. Ash-grey, varying in some skins to brownish or rufescent, 

 lower parts buff. Fur on back grey at the base and sometimes 

 throughout ; in other skins it becomes rufescent, always having a 

 dark brown or blackish subterminal portion, and a whitish or yel- 

 lowish tip. Narrow longitudinal dark bands, often very indistinct, 

 run along the crown and back ; and there are numerous interrupted 

 narrow dark brown or black transverse (vertical) bands or rows of 

 spots on the sides, extending as cross rows of spots to the anterior 

 portion of the abdomen. There are cross bands on the fore neck ; 

 the breast and lower abdomen remaining unspotted. The usual 

 markings are found on the cheeks. Tail with more or less distinct 

 black rings on the posterior half and a black tip. Paws black or 

 dark brown beneath. 



Dimensions. A male obtained in Kashmir measured head and 

 body 22 inches, tail 12. A female from Bajputana measured head 

 and body 20 inches, tail without hair at the end 10, with 10, ears 

 2 outside, hind foot 4-9. In the fully adult skull of the latter the 

 basal length is 2-95, zygomatic breadth 2-4. 



Distribution. The type of F. torquata was said to be from Nepal ; 

 the exact locality of F. inconspicua is not recorded, but specimens 

 precisely similar have been obtained by Captain Boys and Mr. 

 Adam in Bajputana, and by Sir O. B. St. John in Kashmir. This 

 cat must therefore be widely dispersed throughout Northern India, 

 though it does not appear to be common. 



Nothing especial is known of the habits, and it is far from im- 

 probable that specimens of the present form are merely descendants 

 of tame cats that have run wild. The converse- is, however, 

 equally probable, that this is the aboriginal race from which Indian 

 domestic cats, and possibly those of other countries are derived ; 

 and the circumstance that skins from parts of India so distant 

 from each other as Nepal, Rajputana, and Kashmir are precisely 

 similar is in favour of the latter view. The characters of the 

 upper premolars distinguish F. torquata from the allied F. caffra (or 

 F. caliyata), to which, however, F. huttoni, described by Blyth from 

 Afghanistan, may perhaps belong. 



41. Felis chaus. The jungle Cat. 



Felis chaos, Giildenstadt, Nov. Com. Pet. xx, p. 483, pis. 14, 15 (1776); 



Kelaart, Prod. p. 48 ; Blyth, Cat. p. 63 ; id. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 186 ; 



id. Mam. Birds Burma, p. 28 ; Jcrdon, Mam. p. Ill ; Elliot, Mon. 



Fel. pi. xxxiii. 



Felis catolynx, Pal/as, Zoog. Ros.-As. i, p. 23, pi. ii. 

 Felis affinis, Gray, Hardwicke's III. Ind. Zool. I, pi. 3. 

 Felis kutas, Pearson, J. A. S. B. i, p. 75. 

 Felis (Lynchus) erytkrotis, Hodgson, J. A. S. B. v, p. 233. 

 Felis jacquemontii, 1. Geoffr. Jacquemont, Voyaye, iv, p. 58, Atlas, ii. 



Janyli-billi, H. ; Khatds, H. and Beng. ; Banberdl, Beng. ; Gnrbu-i- 

 Kuhi, Pers. ; Bdul, Bhdoga, Mahr. ; Berka, Hill-tribe of Rajmahal ; 

 Mant-bek, Can. ; Kada bek or Bella bek, Wadcdri ; Katu-punai, Tarn. ; 

 Jurkapilli, Tel.; Cherru puli, Mai; Kyouny tset-kttn, Arakanese. 



