704 MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON FELIS TIGRINA. [NoV. 6, 



3. Remarks on Felis tigrina, Erxl., and its Synonymy. 

 By D. G. Elliot, F.R.S.E. &c. 



[Received June 28, 1877.] 



Erxleben, in his ' Systema Regni Animalis,' published in 1777, 

 described a Cat from Guiana, Cayenne, &c. as Felis tigrina, charac- 

 terized as having a long tail, fulvous fur on the body spotted and 

 striped vrith black, beneath white. This animal is much smaller 

 than F. pardalis, and differs also in style of its marking, rather 

 difficult to explain in words ; but generally the black is more 

 inclined to take the form of spots than lines or stripes. There is no 

 doubt whatever that the two belong to very different and distinct 

 species. 



In 1820, in the 'Histoire Naturelle des Mammiferes,' MM. 

 Cuvier and Geoffroy St.-Hilaire described another Cat of this form as 

 Felis mitis, from Brazil, characterized by having a tail about half 

 the length of the body and head, with a general buff colour, and 

 spotted irregularly with black, the centres of the spots of light buff. 



In 1826 Prince Maximilian of Neu-Wied, in his ' Beitrage zur 

 Naturgeschichte von Brasilien,' also described a species of Felis, 

 distinguished by having the tail as long as the body. In other 

 respects, such as the general colour of the fur, together with the 

 shape, disposition, and hue of the spots, it does not vary more from 

 the two animals mentioned above than do individuals of any species 

 of Spotted Cats from each other. With the exception of Erxleben, 

 who gives a general habitat for his animal, such as "America Aus- 

 tralis," citing the Cayenne Cat of Pennant, and the Tiger Cat of 

 Guiana, Bauer, as synonymous, the authors mentioned ascribe Brazil 

 as the habitat of their respective species. For a long time the 

 animals called by these different names, bestowed upon them by 

 their describers, gave me a great deal of trouble, as I strove to 

 find recognizable and permanent differences by which the species, 

 if they really were such, could be discriminated. 



The late Dr. J.|E. Gray, in his papers on the Felidse, especially in his 

 'Catalogue of the Carnivorous, Pachydermatous, and Edentate Mam- 

 malia,' although he states that the three species vary greatly in the 

 size, form, and disposition of the spots (to which he might have 

 added colour), endeavoured to keep the three apart by the " kind " 

 and colour of the fur and the colour and length of the tail. Thus 

 F. macroura and F. mitis have soft bright fulvous fur and tail 

 distinctly ringed ; and F. tigrina has a harsher grizzled fur, and the 

 tail marked with a series of dark spots, not forming distinct rings. 

 In regard to the distinction given to the fur as it feels to the touch, 

 I may not have the sensitiveness necessary to enable me to appreciate 

 the character ; but the fur of all the animals belonging to this par- 

 ticular type of Felis appears to me to have a similar texture, and I 

 hardly consider that the softness or harshness of the hair will be 

 sufficient to render the animals specifically distinct or to enable them 

 to be recognized by that character. 



