SMALLER CATS. 415 



In some examples, however, the red tinge is gi-eatly deveh^ped at tlie expense of the 

 grey. Tlie individual hairs vary in colour in diflerent portions of their length. 

 The dark spots on the back and side are longer than broad, with a more or less 

 marked tendency to arrange themselves in longitudinal lines, and the species 

 derives both its popular and its scientific name from their general rusty-red hue. 

 In the reddish \ariety, wlrich is characteristic of Ceylon, the spots are, however, 

 brownish-black. As in so many of the smaller Indian cats, the forehead is marked 

 bj^ longitudinal dark stripes, four in number, and there is also a stripe on each side 

 of tlie face behind the eye. The species is quite peculiar among the sj^otted cats 

 in having the tail without either spots or rings, its upper surface being of the 

 same tint as the back, while the under-part is paler. In length the rusty-spotted 

 cat varies from IG to 18 inches from the tip of the snout to the root of the tail, the 

 length of the tail being constantly 9 J inches. 



The skull agrees with that of the tisliing-cat in having the sockets of the eyes 

 completely surrounded bj- bone, but it is peculiar in that there are never more than 

 two premolar teeth in the upjjei- jaw, that is to say, there is only one of these teeth 

 in ad\'ance of the flesh-tooth. 



This cat inhabits Ceylon and S(jutliern India, raiely extending as far noi-th- 

 wards as tlie Central Provinces, and being quite unknown on the Malabar cotist. Its 

 fo.ssil remains have been oljtainiMl from a cavern in Madras, thus proving that it 

 was an inhabitant of India at a time wlien the fauna of that part of the country 

 had a much closer affinity to the fauna of Africji than exists at the present day. 

 The late Dr. Jerdon, in liis Mammals of India, observes that " this very pretty 

 little cat frequents grass on the dry beds of tanks, brusliwood, and occasionally 

 drains in the open country and near villages, and is said not to be a denizen of the 

 jungles. I had a kitten brought to me very young in 1846, anel it became (piite 

 tame, and \vas the admiration of all who saw it. Its activity was quite marvellous, 

 and it was very playful and elegant in its motions. When it was about eight 

 months ohl, I introduced it into a room where there was a small fawn of the 

 gazelle, and the little creature flew at it the moment it saw it, seized it by the nape, 

 and was with difficult}' taken oft! I lost it shortl}^ after this. It would occasionally 

 find its way to the raftei-s of bungalows and hunt for squirrels. Sir W. Elliot 

 notices that he has seen several undoubted hybrids between this and the domestic 

 cat, and I have al.so observed the same." 



In commenting upon this account, Mr. Blanford observes that the alleged 

 absence of the species from jungles is probably incori'ect, for it has been found 

 inhabiting forests in Ceylon. A pair of kittens of this species were at one time in 

 the possession of ^Ir. R. A. Sterndale, and proved (piite as tame, active, and graceful 

 as the one mentioned above. After the death of one of the pair from snake-bite, 

 the kitten of a domestic cat was obtained as a playfellow for the sur\'ivor, when 

 the dittereuce in the agility of the two creatures was very marketUy exhibited. 



The Fl.vt-He.vded C xt {Felis planiceps). 



The flat-headed cat is the second unifoiTnlj'-coloured species, in adilition to the 

 lion, among the Old World cats. It is about the size of a domestic cat, but with a 



