82 



TELIB/T.. 



in the middle, run from tlie eyes and base of tlie nose over the 

 head, ahnost without interruption, and the two inner are continued 

 between the shoulders as two Mell-niarked, elongate, slightly 

 diverging stripes without any other spots or bands between them, 

 liehiud the shoulders the bands are continued in the form of spots, 

 other spots intervening. Cheek-stripes and throat-bands as in 

 other cats, but usually ferruginous, the bands outside the forearm 

 dark brown. There is a well-marked dark band inside each eye. 

 Ears outside brown, with a large pale spot on each. Tail rufous 

 grey, nearly the same colour as the back above, much paler below, 

 iiuely punclulated, but without any disrinct spots or stripers. 



Fig. 20.— FcHs nihiginom. (Elliot, Mon. Fel.) 



Dimensions. Head and body 16 to 18 inches, tail 9-5. A skull 

 measures 2*55 inches in basal length and 2-05 in breadth across the 

 zygomatic arches, 



Distnhntion. Southern India and Ceylon. Unknown on the 

 Malabar coast, but not uncommon in the Carnatic. Sterndale also 

 obtained it at Seoul in the Central Provinces, but it api)ears to be 

 rai'e so far north. 



Jlahits. Jerdon says: — "This very pretty little cat frequents grass 

 in the dry beds of tanks, and occasionally drains in the open 

 country aiul near A'illages, and is said not to be a denizen of the 

 jungles. 1 had a kitten brought to me when very young in 184(5 

 and it became quite tame, and was the delight and admiration of all 

 who saw it. Its activity was quite marvellous, and it \\as very 

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

 old, 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 diHiculty taken oif. 1 lost it 

 shortly after this. Sir AV. Elliot notices that he has seen several 

 undoubted hybrids between this and the domestic cat, and I have 

 also observed the same." 



