THE OCELOT.* 



Tire Ocelot is one of the most beautiful of its tribe, aud is less in si/.e than the leopard ; its length, 

 exclusive of the tail, is about three feet, and its height about eighteen inches. The colour of its I'm- is 

 gray, slightly tinged with pale fawn ; the whole body and legs are covered with longitudinal chain- 

 like stripes, broken into patches of some inches; black at the margins, and pale inside, with an open 

 spare in the centre, of the ordinary ground colour of the fur ; on the neck and head these black lines 

 have no central opening. The colours of the female are less vivid than those of the male. 



This animal is a native of South America, where it frequents the depths of the forest, living on 

 deer and birds. It seldom attacks man, though instances have occurred of its doing so. When 

 limited and overtaken, it defends itself with great obstinacy. Its natural disposition, however, is timid 

 and rather cowardly. 



The ocelot seems less susceptible of domestication than other members of the cat tribe. In 

 confinement it is in a state of perpetual motion, and will not submit to the caresses of its keeper. A 



THE OECI.OT. 



male and female wore taken to France, some years ago, which had been caught when very young. At 

 the age of three months they became so strong and fierce, as to kill a bitch by which they were nursed. 

 When a live cat was thrown to them they immediately pounced upon it, and sucked its blood, but left 

 the flesh untouched. The male seemed to have an entire ascendancy over the female, as he ne\er 

 allowed her to partake of a meal till he was satisfied. 



D'Azara, however, mentions an ocelot which was so tame as to be left at perfect liberty ; it 

 seemed strongly attached to its master, and never tried to escape. 



The name of lynxes is applied by zoologists to a subdivision of the Felid<e, well marked externally, 

 and elevated by Dr. Gray to the rank of a genus. t 



Linnreus mentions but one species,} to which he assigns the woods of Europe and Canada as 

 localities. This was probably the European lynx, and the descriptions may have been founded on 

 lyn\.'s from Canada as well as from Knrope. 



Felia Pardalis. Limifeus. 



f Lyncus. 



Felia Lynx. 



