236 The Book of Cats. 



18 inches. Ground colour of fur grey, mingled 

 with a slight tinge of fawn, elegantly marked with 

 numerous longitudinal bands, the dorsal one con- 

 tinuous and entirely black, the lateral (six or seven 

 on each side) consisting for the most part of a series 

 of elongated spots, with black margins, sometimes 

 completely distinct, sometimes running together. 

 The centre of each spot is of a deeper fawn than 

 the ground colour external to it ; this deeper tinge 

 is also conspicuous on the head and neck, and on 

 the outside of the limbs, all of which parts are 

 irregularly marked with full black lines and spots 

 of various sizes. From the top of the head, be- 

 tween the ears, there pass backwards towards the 

 shoulders, two or more, frequently four, uninter- 

 rupted diverging bands, which enclose a narrow 

 fawn-colour space, with a black margin ; between 

 these there is a single longitudinal, somewhat inter- 

 rupted, narrow black line, occupying the centre of 

 the neck above. Ears short and rounded, exter- 

 nally margined with black, surrounding a large 

 central whitish spot : under parts of the body 

 whitish, spotted with black, and the tail, which is 

 of the same ground colour with the body, also 

 covered with black spots. This animal is a native 

 of Mexico and Paraguay : its home is the gloomiest 



