so FELID.K. 



Colour. Ash-grey, varying in some skins to brownish or rufescent, 

 lower parts buff. Fur on back grey at the base and sometimes 

 througliout ; in other skins it becomes rufescent, always having a 

 dark brown or bUiL-kisli suljterminal portion, and a whitish or yel- 

 lowish tip. Narrow longitudinal dark bands, often very indistinct, 

 run along the crown and baciv ; and there are numerous interrupted 

 narrow dark brown or black transverse (vertical) bands or rows of 

 spots on the sides, extending as cross rows of spots to the anterior 

 portion of the abdomen. There are cross bands on the fore neck ; 

 the breast and lower abdomen remaining unspotted. The usual 

 markings are found on the cheeks. Tail with more or less distinct 

 black rings on the posterior half and a black tip. Paws black or 

 dark brown beneath. 



Dimensions. A male obtained in Kaslnnir measured — liead and 

 body 21 inches, tail 12. A female from ll;ijput:ina measured — head 

 and body 20 inches, tail without hair at the end 10, with 10^, ears 

 2 outside, hind foot 4-9. In the fully adult skull of the latter the 

 basal length is 2-95, zygomatic breadth 2-4. 



Distribution. The type of F. torquata was said to be from Nepal ; 

 the exact locahty of F. inconsjncua is nob recorded, but specimens 

 precisely similar have been obtained by Captain Boys and Mr. 

 Adam in E.-ijputiina, and by Sir O. B. St. Jolui in Kaslnnir. This 

 cat must therefore be widely dispersed thi'oughout Northern India, 

 though it does not appear to be common. 



Nothing especial is known of the habits, and it is far from im- 

 probable that specimens of the present form are merely descendants 

 of tame cats that have run wild. The converse is, however, 

 equally probable, that this is the aboriginal race from whicli Indian 

 dcimestic cats, and possibly those of other countries are derived ; 

 and the circumstance that skins from parts of India so distant 

 from each other as Nepal, Eajputtlna, and Kashmir are precisely 

 similar is in favour of the latter \iew. Tlie characters of the 

 upper premolars distinguish F. torquata from tlie allied F. ca^ra (or 

 F. calic/ata), to which, however, F. hatloni, described by Blytli from 

 Afghanistan, may perhaps belong. 



41. Felis chaus. Thejunf/le Cat. 



Felischaiis, CHiMenstiidf, Ntw. Com. Pet. xx, p. 483, pis. 14, lo (1770); 



Kelaart, Prod. p. 48 ; JJ/i/th, Cut. p. (i3 ; id. P. Z. S. 1808, p. ISO ; 



id. Mam. Birds liiirma, p. 28 ; Jerdon, Mani. p. Ill j Elliot, Mon. 



Fel. pi. xxxiii. 

 Felis catolynx, Pallas, Zoor/. lios.-As. \, p. 23, ])1. ii. 

 Felis affinis, Cray, Hardwickes III. Lid. Zool. i, pi. 3. 

 Felis kutas, Pearson, J. A. S. B. i, ]). 7o. 

 Felis (Lynclius) erythrotis, Hodcjson, J. A. S. B. v, p. 2.33. 

 Felis jacquemontii, 1. Geoffr. Jacquinnont, Voijage, iv, p. 58, Atlas, ii. 



pis. ii, iii. 



Jamjli-hilli, II. ; Khatds, II. luul Btjii^'. ; lianJicrdl, Bcnji'. ; Cdrha-i- 

 Ku/ti, Pers. ; Baal, Bhuoifa, Malir. ; Bcrka, llill-tiibo uf Piijiiiuiial ; 

 Mant-hck, dm.; Kada hek or Bella hek, Wadtiii ; Katu-]iun<ii, Tain.; 

 Jiirka jiilli, Tel. ; Cherru puli, Mai. ; Kijouiuj tsel-kan, Arakiiiiese. 



