400 



THE CAT. 



[CHAP. xn. 



(8.) THE THIBET TIGER CAT (Felts scripta)* 



A much smaller cat, but with markings somewhat like those of the 

 clouded tiger, has been discovered in the mountains of Thibet by the 

 Abbe David, and made known and named by Professor Alphonse 

 Milne-Edwards, who has described it as follows : 



General colour pale grey inclining to yellow, with reddish brown 

 spots and more or less complete black margins. In the scapular 

 region these spots form longitudinal, undulating bands looking a 

 little like Chinese writing. The largest of these dark lines begins 

 near the inner angle of the eye, and goes thence above the ear to 

 the scapular region of the back and then descending obliquely, 

 widens out. A similar line, placed higher up, extends from the 

 forehead to the shoulder. There are large irregularly shaped spots 

 on the sides of the body. At the hinder part of the back they form 

 bands and bars, not complete rings, on the tail. Part of cheek, 

 neck and chest white, with transverse black markings. Belly 

 yellowish, with longitudinal black marks. There are black spots 

 and bands outside the legs. 



The iris is of a yellowish chestnut colour. 



Length of the head and body twenty-one and a half inches, of 

 tail ten and a half inches. 



The first upper premolar is small, and appears soon to fall out, 

 as on one side of the skull figured the tooth is wanting. 



It inhabits Monpin in Thibet. 





(9.) FONTANEIB/S SPOTTED CAT (FcllS tristis).-\ 



This cat may be distinguished from the other species of the 

 same countries as it inhabits, by its large size, whitish grey colour 

 and large spots. It is described as follows : 



Fur soft and long ; general colour a whitish grey. Three or four 

 blackish brown lines, beginning in the centre of the head, between 

 the ears, run along the whole length of the back ; rest of the body, 

 flanks and legs covered with large spots of dark brown. Under- 

 parts lighter than the upper, legs profusely marked and spotted with 

 brown. Two bars of rufous brown pass across the upper part of the 

 breast. Tail very long and bushy, rufous brown above, yellowish 

 brown beneath. The upper part presenting a series of obscure dark 

 brown bars. 



Length of head and body, thirty-three and a half inches ; length 

 of tail, sixteen inches. 



This animal inhabits the interior of China. The skin of the 

 typical specimen was bought at Pekin. 



* A. Milne-Edwards, Nouvelles Ar- 

 chives du Museum, 1870, t. vii., Bulletin, 

 p. 92, and Recherches, p. 351, plates 

 57 and 58, Fig. 1. 



+ Alphonse Milne- Edwards, Eecherches 

 des Mammif., p. 223, plate 31 D, and 

 Elliot's Monograph. 



