CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



any denned lK.un.lMry, whit.- a distinguishing character of our animal is atlorded hy a deep velvet- 

 black nun-gin, which confines tlif spits posteriorly. 



The Felia nuicrocelia seems to be of a less mischievous disposition than many of the other cats. 

 In the forest* of Sumatra, it lives much upon the trees, pursuing and feeding on birds ; and it is said 

 l.v l lie natives to be in the habit of sleeping stretched across the fork of a large bough. "While in a 

 state of confinement," says Sir Stamford Riffles, "these animals were remarkable for good temper and 

 playfulness. No domestic kitten could be more so ; they were always courting intercourse with persons 

 pacing by, and in the expression of their countenance, which was always open and smiling, showed the 

 greatest delight when noticed, throwing themselves on their backs, and delighting in being tickled 

 and rubbed. On board ship there was a small Musi dog, who used to play round the cage with the 

 animal, and it was amusing to observe the playfulness and tenderness with which the latter came in 

 contact with his inferior-sized companion. When fed with a fowl that had died, he seized the prey, 

 and. after sucking the blood and tearing it a little, he amused himself for hours in throwing it about 

 and jumping after it, in the manner that a cat plays with a mouse before it is quite dead. 



" He never seemed to look on man or children as prey, but as companions, and the natives assert 

 that when wild these animals live principally on poultry, birds, and the smaller kinds of deer. They 

 are not found in numbers, and may be considered rather a rare animal, even in the southern part of 

 Sumatra. Both specimens were procured from the interior of Bencoolen, on the banks of the Bencoolen 

 River. They are generally found in the vicinity of villages, and are not dreaded by the natives, except 

 as far as they may destroy their poultry. The natives assert that they sleep and often lay wait for their 

 prey on trees ; and from this circumstance they derive the name of Dalian, which signifies the fork 

 formed by the branch of a tree, across which they are said to rest, and occasionally stretch themselves. 



" Both specimens constantly amused themselves in jumping and clinging to the top of their cage, 

 and throwing a somerset, or twisting themselves round in the manner of a squirrel when confined, the 

 tail being extended, and showing to great advantage when so expanded." 



One of these animals, upon its arrival in this country, was sent to Exeter Change, where the 

 noise and novelty of the menagerie appear to have rendered it very intractable for a few days ; but it 

 soon became perfectly familiar, and fond of the persons who were employed about it. It was rather 

 less voracious than a leopard, and was fed with beef and the heads of fowls. 



The Fdis macrocelis inhabits Sumatra. M. Temminck considers that it is also found on the 

 continent of India, having received several of the mantles of the Daiakkers which were made of the 

 skin of this animal. 



Sir Stamford Raffles has also mentioned a very large Sumatran animal : "It is called RimaM- 

 mawj in the southern districts, and is described as larger than the tiger, more dangerous and 

 destructive, and as making his attacks in a different manner, not crouching and darting from a covert, 

 but rushing furiously and steadily forward, and enforcing his way into villages and houses. It is 

 stated to have a mane of long hair on its head and neck, to have a tuft at the extremity of its tail, to 

 be of a more uniform and dark colour, and to have a larger and longer head than the tiger. It has 

 been seen in various parts of the country, but is by no means common." 



THE LEOPARD.* 



THIS animal is usually about four feet in length, exclusive of the tail, which is about two feet and a 

 half long ; it is of a rich yellowish fawn colour, paler on the sides, and lost in the pure white of the 

 belly. It is covered with a variety of annular or oval black spots, and the sides and part of the tail 

 are occupied by numerous distinct roses, formed by the near approach of three or four elongated small 

 dark spots, which surround a central area, about an inch in breadth, of a somewhat deeper colour than 

 the ground on which it is placed. There are some black lines on the lips, and bands of the same 

 OOiOtll on the insidcs of the legs ; two or three imperfect black circles, alternating with white, also 

 occur (..wards (he extremity of the tail. 



The habits of the Leopard resemble those of its tribe, already described, but it is less powerful. 



* Felis leopardus. DSamareet. 



