1867.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SKULLS OF THE FELID.E. '2G1 



want of information. Years ago I remarked that, contrary to the 

 general helief, the pupils of the larger species, such as the Lion, 

 the Tiger, the Leopard, the Jaguar and some other species, had a 

 round pupil, and 1 therefore separated them from the true Cats, 

 which had linear erect pupils ; but the number of species that be- 

 longed to each group was left for further verification. Very few 

 zoologists have noted the form of the pupils in the species they 

 have described. Sometimes two observations on the same species 

 do not coincide : thus Burmeister describes the pupils of the eyes of 

 F. jayuarondi and F. eyra as round ; but Berlaudier represents the 

 pupil of the latter {F. eyra) as linear and vertical. Then Mr. 

 Hodgson has figured the eye of J^. macrocelis as cu'cular ; but Mr. 

 Bartlett says that in the example living in the Society's Gardens it 

 is oblong erect. 



Mr. Bryan Hodgson had prepared by native artists a series of 

 drawings of Nepalese animals from life, with the intention of pub- 

 lishing a ' Fauna of Nepal.' These drawings he presented to the 

 British Museum along with his large collection of specimens ; and 

 I find that the eyes of the Leopard, the Ounce, the Tortoise-shell 

 Tiger {F. macrocelis), and the Murma Cat {F. murmensis) are re- 

 presented with round pupils. The Viverrine Cat of the Tarai {F. 

 viverriceps, Hodgs.), the small Nepal Cat {F. nepalensis and F. j)ur- 

 dochroiis, Hodgs.), the F. nigripectus, the Chans (C'haus lybicus), 

 and the Lynx of Thibet {L. isabellina, Blyth) are all represented 

 with linear erect pupils. 



Mr. Bartlett, in reply to my inquiries, kindly observes, "A great 

 difficulty exists in determining the form of the pupils in the eyes of 

 many of the Cats, as in some hghts and conditions they are all round. 

 It depends upon the light and other causes that you find them sonic- 

 times oblong ; but from a careful and oft-repeated observation of the 

 following list, I feel safe in saying that in the Ocelot, Puma, Jaguar, 

 Leopard, Tiger, Lion, and Cheetah they are round, and in the 

 Caracal, Clouded Tiger, Chaus, and Serval are oval. 



" There are no others on your list that I can speak of with cer- 

 tainty." 



" P.S. Li my former list I told you the Ocelot had a round pupil, 

 I have this day had the animal in the sunlight, and I must say the 

 pupil of the Ocelot is oblong when exposed to the bright sunlight." 



Section 1. Normal Cats. — The fiesh-tooth of the upper jaw with a 

 well-marked prominent internal lobe on the front part of its 

 inner side. The legs moderate. 



Tribe L True Cats — Felina. 



The head oblong ; face slightly produced. Legs moderate, nearly 

 of equal length. The skull oblong; intermaxillse and frontal bones 

 with short processes, which extend between the ends of the nasal 

 bones and the maxillye. The front upper false grinder small (rarely 

 deciduous and wanting). 



