194 MAMMALIA — OCELOT. 



latest and most accurate description of this animal. " Nearly equal in 

 size to the lynx of Europe," says he, " but shorter in its proportions and 

 more graceful in its form, it holds, as it were, a middle station between the 

 leopard and the domestic cat. Its body, Avhen full grown, is nearly three 

 feet in length, and its tail rather more than one ; while its medium height 

 may be reckoned at about eighteen inches. The ground color of its fur is 

 gray, mingled with a slight tinge of fawn, and on this it is elegantly mark- 

 ed with numerous longitudinal bands, the dorsal one being continuous and 

 entirely black, and the lateral, to the number of six or seven on each side, 

 consisting, for the most part, of a series of elongated spots with black mar- 

 gins, sometimes completely distinct, and sometimes running together. The 

 centre of each of these spots offers a deeper tinge of fawn than the ground 

 color external to them ; and this deeper tinge is also conspicuous on the 

 upper part of the head and neck, and on the outside of the limbs, all of 

 which parts are irregularly marked with full black lines and spots of va- 

 rious sizes. From the top of the head, between the ears, there pass back- 

 wards, toAvards the shoulders, two, or more frequently four, uninterrupted 

 diverging bands, which are full black anteriorly, but generally bifurcate 

 posteriorly, and enclose a narrow fawn colored space within a black margin ; 

 between these there is a single longitudinal, somewhat interrupted narrow 

 black line, occupying the centre of the neck above. The ears are short and 

 rounded, and externally margined with black, surrounding a large central 

 whitish spot. The under parts of the body are whitish, spotted with black, 

 and the tail, which is of the same ground color with the body, is also cover- 

 ed with blackish spots. The tail of the specimen in the Tower does not 

 exceed six or seven inches, but, as it ends abruptly, it has, in all probability, 

 been shortened by some accident." 



The animal in the Tower was sent from Trinidad, under the name of 

 the Peruvian tiger. It is extensively ^spread over the American conti- 

 nent, being found in the widely separated regions of Mexico and Para- 

 guay, where it abides in the depths of the forests during the day, and 

 gives chase at night to birds and small quadrupeds. As it is an active 

 climber, it follows the birds even to their nests. " It is easily tamed," says 

 Mr Bennett, "but seldom loses all trace of its natural ferocity. D'Azara, 

 however, speaks of one which was so completely domiciliated, as to be left 

 at perfect liberty ; it was strongly attached to its master, and never attempt- 

 ed to make its escape." 



