106 FELID^E. 



the example here described: Mr. Blyth states that F. javanensis differs 

 most from the type, approximating F. v'iverrina in colouring. Those 

 from Southern India appear to have both a richer ground-colour, and 

 the spots of a bolder pattern than most from the north of India ; but I 

 have seen some from the Himalayas very similar. In some the marks 

 have a marbled appearance ; in others they appear to be disposed more 

 irregularly and less in rows, and in some the spots are much smaller 

 than in typical specimens. 



The original specimen described by Pennant was that of one said to 

 have swum on board ship at the mouth of the Hoogly, and it is said to 

 have coupled with English female cats, and that one of its offspring had 

 as little fear of water as its sire. I cannot help thinking that this must 

 have been a specimen of F. viverrina rather than bengalensis, especially 

 as Buchanan Hamilton applied the latter name to viverrina. 



The Leopard-cat is found throughout the hilly regions of India, from 

 the Himalayas to the extreme south and Ceylon, and in richly wooded 

 districts, at a low elevation occasionally, or where heavy grass jungle is 

 abundant, mixed with forest and brushwood. In the South of India 

 it is most abundant in Coorg, Wynaad, and the forest tract all along 

 the Western ghats ; but is rare on the east coast and in Central India. 

 It ascends the Himalayas to a considerable elevation, and is said by 

 Hodgson even to occur in Tibet, and is found at the level of the sea 

 in the Bengal Sunderbuns. It extends through Assam, Burmah, the 

 Malayan peninsula, to the islands of Java and Sumatra at all events. 



Mr. Elliot says of his Wagati,* that " it is very fierce, living in trees 

 in the thick forests, and preying on birds and small quadrupeds. A 

 shikaree declared that it drops on larger animals and even on deer, 

 and eats its way into the neck ; that the animal in vain endeavours to 

 roll or shake it off, and at last is destroyed." In Coorg, I was informed 

 that it lives in hollow trees, and commits great depredations on the 

 poultry of the villagers. It also destroys hares, morse deer, &c. Hutton 

 says, " I have a beautiful specimen alive, so savage that I dare not touch 

 her, They breed in May, have only three or four young, in caves or 

 beneath masses of rock." Mr. Blyth says, " I have had many in captivity, 

 none of which ever showed a disposition to become tame and confiding, 



* Mr. Elliot did not name this cat F. wagati, as is generally quoted, even by 

 Blyth, but simply gave it as No. 29, Felis . Wagati, Mahratta of the ghats. 



