432 



CARNIVORES. 



premolar teeth in the upper jaw, as well as in tlie form of the lower flesh-tooth, the 

 jungle-cat agrees, however, with the more typical representatives of the family, as 

 distinct from the lynxes. 



The colour of the fur of the body varies from sandy or yellowish-grey to 

 greyish-brown, the back being darker, with a tendency to reddish in some in- 

 dividuals or to a dusky tint in others, wliile the under-parts are whitish, with a 

 yello^v or red tinge. The individual hairs, which \ary in length according to the 

 locality whence the animals come, are not of uniform colour throughout their 



THE JCNGLE-CAT (J nat. size). 



length, the upper ends being genei'ally gre3ash- white, with black tips. . Usually 

 fully- ailult animals are uniformh'- coloured, but the limbs may be marked with 

 dusky transverse bars, while, more rareh', rows of indistinct spots or wavy lines 

 may be detected. The inner side of the upper part of the fore-limb usually has the 

 two broad transverse bai-s common to so many cats. The cheeks and breast may 

 be either banded or pale, while the tail is ringed, and its tip, like those of the ears, 

 black. The soles of the feet are of a dusky -brown colour. The total length of the 

 animal varies fi'om 33 to 39 inches, the length of the tail (with the hair) in the 

 smaller form beinof 11 inches. 



Although the jungle-cat may be regarded as a characteristic animal of India, 

 where it is found from Cape Gomorin to elevations of about eight thousand feet in 



