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, when full grown, is nearly three 
feet in length, and its tailrather 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, towards 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 lef: 
at perfect liberty ; it was strongly attached to its master, and never attempt 
ed to make ‘ts escape.” 
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