THE SERVAL. 33.1 



his whiskers long and stiff, and his tail rather, 

 short : his toes are armed with long and hooked 

 claws. 



" He is found on the Indian mountains, where 

 he is very seldom seen on the ground, but re- 

 Hirains always on the trees, lurking among the 

 branches ; where he forms a nest, in which he 

 lies in wait for birds, and other small animals, 

 which constitute his chief nourishment. He 

 leaps from tree to tree, as nimbly as the squirrel 

 or the monkey, and with such address and agi- 

 lity, that he runs through a considerable space 

 in an instant, appearing and disappearing alter- 

 nately. 



" In this state he is extremely fierce, and yet 

 he flies from man, unless he be provoked, or his 

 dwelling-place be injured or incommoded: he 

 then becomes exceedingly furious, darting on the 

 offender, like the panther, seizing him by the 

 neck or throat, and lacerating him both with his 

 teeth and talons, in a terrible manner. 



C( Neither captivity, nor good nor bad treat- 

 ment," continues the above author, " can soften 

 the natural ferocity of this animal," 



The American serval, which the same writer, 

 in his supplement, denominates the chat sauvage 

 de fa Caroline, is a native of North America; 

 and Pennant observes, that it has upright pointed 

 ears, marked with two brown transverse bars. 

 <f The upper part of the body," says he, " is of 

 .a reddish ground, and it is marked on the bac;k 

 , yoj,. ii. NO. xv. 2 u 



