4i6 CARNIVORES. 



relatively longer bodj', shorter legs, and shorter tail ; the length of the latter being 

 not more than from one-quarter to one-third that of the head and body. The fur 

 is long and soft ; and on the iipper-parts it is of a dark rich reddish-brown colour, 

 having a curious speckled silveiy appearance, due to some of the hairs having white 

 tips. In many specimens, at least, a pair of yellow lines diverge from above the 

 nose on to the forehead between the ej-es. The under-parts are whitish, more or 

 less splashed with brown. The length of the head and body varies from 21 to 24 

 inches, while that of the tail is not more than from 6 to 8 inches. 



The skull of this cat resembles that of the preceding species in having the 

 sockets of the eyes surrounded by bone ; but differs in having three premolar 

 teeth in the upper jaw, the first of which is relatively larger than in any other 

 living cat. The flat-headed cat has been obtained from the Malay Peninsula and 

 the islands of Sumatra and Borneo; but nothing appears to have been liitherto 

 ascertained as to its habits in the wild .state. 



Another uniformly -coloured cat, with fur of a bright chestnut tint, has been 

 described from Borneo, under the name of the Bornean bay cat {F. badia). The 

 tail is relatively longer than in the flat-headed cat. 



The Ocelot (Fells pardalis). 



If not e(jual in beauty of coloration to its much larger cousin the jaguar, the 

 smaller South American cat known as the ocelot occupies at least the next place in 

 this respect ; and exhibits individual variations fully as marked as those occurring 

 in the Asiatic leopard-cat. The ocelot is essentially a South American species, 

 ranging northwards, however, into Mexico, and just impinging on the extreme 

 south-western borders of tlie United States. Southwards it extends to Paraguay ; 

 but, according to Mi'. \V. H. Hudson, it is unkno'\\Ti on the pampas of Argentina, 

 from which it may be inferred that its alleged occurrence in Patagonia is, at least, 

 open to doubt. Like the leopard-cat, the ocelot, on account of its numerous 

 variations in colour, has i-eceived a number of distinct scientific names. Prof. 

 Mivart, describes the more general type in the following words : — " The ground- 

 colour of the ocelot may be tawny-yellow or reddish-gi-ej'. It is alwaj^s marked 

 with black spots, which are aggregated in chain-like streaks and blotches, generally 

 forming elongated spots, each with a black border, enclosing an area wliich is 

 rather darker than is the general ground-colour. Tlie head an<l limbs bear small 

 spots, and there are two black stripes over each cheek, and one or two black trans- 

 verse black bands within each fore-leg. The tail tends to be ringed, and the 

 ventral parts of the trunk and limbs are whitish." 



There is, however, a well-marked variety of a grey colour, in which the flanks 

 may be whitish : while there is a second form characterised by its less brilliant 

 coloration, the wider interval between the blotches, and the lighter colour of the 

 areas enclosed by the black lines. Still more strikingly difterent is the third form, 

 characterised by the fulness and intensity of its coloration, the ground-colour 

 being bright fulvous, and the black markings exceedingh' numerous and deep, 

 while the white parts stand out in strong contrast to the rest. The pupil of the 

 eye, when contracted, forms an exceedingly narrow vertical slit. Xot only does 



