THE CARNIVORA 381 



The Wild Cat (Felis catus) was at one time common in the woods 

 and forests of Great Britain, but is now confined to one or two re- 

 mote districts in Scotland, and is also found over the greater part 

 of Europe and Northern Asia. The true Wild Cat differs from the 

 domestic races (which are probably descended from the Eastern 

 Felis caffra and F. maniculata, both of Egyptian origin) by its 

 longer body and limbs, and shorter and thicker tail. 



Largest of the American Cats, the Jaguar (Felis onca) is a very 

 handsome animal. It has a long, stout body and short limbs ; 

 and the coat very much resembles that of the leopard, the spots, 

 however, being larger and more definitely arranged in groups. 

 It is arboreal in habit, frequenting the wooded banks of the great 

 rivers, and the reed-bordered lakes. It extends from the southern 

 regions of the United States, through Mexico, Central America, 

 Brazil, as far south as Paraguay and the Argentine. Its common 

 prey is the capybara, but it also lives on fish, turtles, and at times 

 commits serious ravages among horses and cattle. 



The Puma (Felis concolor), the "American Lion/' as it is called 

 in the north, is rather smaller than the jaguar, and has a wider 

 range, being found in the cold regions of the Straits of Magellan 

 up to 50 or 60 N. latitude. In appearance it is not unlike a 

 small lioness, having a tint somewhat similar to the tawny colour 

 of the African lion, but darker and greyer. Unlike the jaguar, 

 the Puma avoids water, although well able to swim when necessary. 

 It is as much at home in trees as on solid ground, and is a terror 

 to the monkeys which abound in the forests of South America. 

 It is, however, far more cowardly than the jaguar, and is not feared 

 by the natives to anything like the same degree. 



Another spotted American Cat, with a range corresponding 

 closely to that of the jaguar, is the Ocelot (Felis pardalis). Its 

 greyish or tawny skin is marked by broadly sweeping rows of 

 longitudinally elongated spots of large size. The head is also 

 beautifully striped, and the tail ringed with black. It is about 

 four feet long from the snout to the tip of the tail, and for its size 

 has rather short legs. It is a handsome animal, and somewhat 

 more shy than the puma. 



The Common Lynx (Felis lynx) ranges over Europe, Asia, and 

 America, according to Dr. Mivart, who considers the American 

 and Asiatic forms as being identical with the European Lynx 



