870 DK. J. E. GRAY ON THE TAPIRIDjE. [NoV. 14, 



Museum are few in number, and not in a very perfect state ; but I 

 can scarcely tbink tbat tbis Cat can be tbe young state of Felis 

 affinis from Nepal. It is doubtless tbe Cat tbat Mr. Blytb con- 

 founds witb tbe Egyptian Cat {F. chuus, Geoff.), stating tbat it is 

 "tbe common animal of Bengal" (see P. Z. S. 1863, p. 186), and 

 tbat, as in tbe case of many common animals, its skins are rarely 

 brougbt to Europe. It seems spread over various parts of India, as 

 tbe specimens in tbe Britisb Museum were sent from tbe Matoralla 

 territory by Sir Walter Elliot, and from Gangootra. 



The tbird species of Chaus in tbe Britisb Museum is tbe beautiful 

 animal tbat I figured in tbe ' Illustrations of Indian Zoology ' as 

 Felis ornata. Tbe small specimen of tbe species in the British 

 Museum js not in a very good state. Chaus ornutus is of a pale, 

 more or less bright, yellow-brown colour, with transverse bands of 

 nearly uniform-sized roundish blackish spots on tbe body. The 

 spots are larger, darker, and closer together on the thighs and upper 

 ))arts of tbe legs. The tail has some black rings near the end, and 

 a small black tip. 



Hab. Northern India {Capt. Boys). 



This does not appear to be a common Cat in India, as we have 

 only received a single half-grown example, which was purchased at 

 the sale of Capt. Boys's specimens ; and I do not find it described in 

 any systematic work, nor do I recollect to have seen any specimens 

 of it in continental collections. 



In his crude paper on the Asiatic species of the genus Felis (P.Z.S. 

 18G3, p. 185), Mr. Blytb places Felis ornata under Felis torquata, 

 observing that tbe figure is "very bad." If he had compared»the 

 specimen in the British Museum with tbe figure, he must have re- 

 versed tbis note ; for it is very characteristic, but is taken from a 

 larger and brighter specimen. Mr. Blytb, when be saw the speci- 

 men in tbe Museum collection, in his usual oflFhand manner, said it 

 is only one of the numerous varieties of the common Indian Cat. 

 Tbis species is quite distinct from the Cat tbat Sir William Jardine 

 afterwards figured as Felis ornata in the 'Naturalist's Library,' 

 Felidce, t. 28. 



9. Notice of a New Species of American Tapir, with Ob- 

 servations on the Skulls of Tapirus, Rhiuochosrus, and 

 Elasmognathus in the Collection of the British Museum. 

 By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., F.L.S. 



(Plate XLII.) 



The British Museum having recently received the skulls of some 

 specimens of American Tapirs in different states of development, I 

 have been induced to reexamine the series of skulls in the collection, 

 and herewith send the notes which I have made during the process. 



Mr. Sclater has kindly presented to the Museum the skull of an 



