402 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE FELID.E. [Apr. 11, 



over the orbits whitish ; belly with black spots, like those on the 

 side. Body and head 19, tail 8 inches. 



Hab. India (Capt. Boys). 



This Cat is at once known from all the other Indian species by 

 the length and slenderness of the tail, and the small size and equal 

 distribution of the spots. In this respect it resembles the Hunting 

 Leopard ; but the band on the legs, the shortness of the tail, and 

 the terminal half of the tail being ringed at once distinguishes it 

 from that Cat and all the other species. The tail is somewhat like 

 that of F. chaus. 



Mr. Blyth has kindly given to the British Museum a specimen 

 of the Domestic Cat of India, which is generally distributed there. 

 It agrees with Felis chaus in almost every character, but it is smaller 

 in size. The tail is rather longer compared with the length of the 

 body, has more narrow black rings, occupying full half of the length 

 of the tail, and there are two narrow pale cheek-streaks. 



In the Museum there are two larger and rather darker specimens, 

 agreeing in almost every particular with the above. They are most 

 likely hybrids between F. chaus and F. domestica. The Wild F. 

 chaus is peculiar for having the cheek-stripes very indistinctly 

 marked, or one or both entirely wanting. 



As regards South or Tropical American Cats, I may observe the 

 skull of the Jaguar (Felis onca, Linn.) is known from the skulls of 

 all the other species of the genus Leopardus, and from the Lion and 

 the Tiger, by having a distinct, but more or less developed, tubercle 

 (probably for the attachment of one of the muscles of the eyeball) 

 on the middle of the inner or nasal edge of the orbit, and there is 

 also a well-marked half ovate notch in the middle of the truncated 

 front edge of the internal nostril, which is not so distinctly developed 

 in other large feline animals. 



The specimen which I described under the name of Leopardus 

 hernandesii in the 'Proceedings' of this Society (1857, p. 278, 

 Mamm. t. 58), from Mexico, has come into the British Museum col- 

 lection ; and I cannot iind any difference in the skull to distinguish 

 it from the other specimens of the Jaguar ; so I suppose it must be 

 considered one of the varieties of that species, marked by the dis- 

 tance at which the small spots are placed from each other, only now 

 and then forming anything like a distinct ring or row of spots. 



The Ocelots are extremely variable ; and though there is a very 

 large series of specimens in the British Museum, I cannot make up 

 my mind whether they are all one, or whether there are three or 

 niore species. There are two most distinct varieties as regards size 

 — the large Ocelots, with very large heads, and the smaller Ocelots, 

 with more moderate- sized heads; but each variety presents several 

 variations of colour, and there are examples intermediate in size. 

 The differences in the size of the Ocelots may depend on the tem- 

 perature, the geographical disposition, and the abundance or scarcity 

 of food in the district wliich they inhabit. I can well believe that 

 the large variety is as dangerous and destructive as the Jaguar, as 

 travellers assert. 



