

MAMMALS OF MESOPOTAMIA. y31 



compared a specimen obtained near Bushire with a living member of Fdis 

 chaiis in the London Zoological Gardens. He came to the conclusion that 

 they were identical (Blanf. Eastern Persia, ii, p. 36.) 



I do not consider the separation of the present series uf the Mesopota- 

 mian cat from F. chaus would be justified as yet. 



F. chaus is found throughout India, W. Asia and N. Africa. The type 

 locality is the Caspian. 



14. Felis ocreata iraki, Subsp. nov. 



Pale Eastern Wild Cat. 



Type 1, Koweit, Arabia, Shakespeare, May 1913. 



1 (S , Sheik Saad, Tigris, Cox-Cheesman, 8-12-16. 



Felis ocreata is, according to Temminck, the origin of the domestic cat 

 and is the Abyssinian representative of a group to which these two speci- 

 mens belong. 



It has been known in literature as Felis caligata, Felis maniculata, and 

 Felis lyhica. Schwann in 1904 pointed out that the first description of this 

 cat was given by Gmelin, as Felis ocreata in 1791. 



Besides being widely distributed in Africa, specimens have been obtain- 

 ed near Aden by Col. Yerbury in 1895, at Lahej, S. W. Arabia, by Messrs. 

 Percival and Dodson in 1900, and at Moab, Palestine, by Tristram in 1893. 

 All these Asiatic skins are very similar to the African in shade of colour 

 and markings. The two from Koweit and Sheikh Saad although very 

 similar to each other in these respects, are unlike any of the other speci- 

 mens in the British Museum and obviously represent a paler race. It has 

 been considered advisable to give them subspecific rank. 



Felis ockeata iraki, Subsp. nov. 



Size similar to Aden and Palestine specimens, with slightly heavier 

 dentition. 



General colour dove grey, with tendency to salmon buff shading. Fore- 

 head silvery, caused by a subterminal brown ring on the hairs showing past 

 the silvery tip, base of hairs salmon buff". White patch in front of eye. A 

 few buff stripes on the face. Ears uniform reddish buff', a few long reddish 

 hairs at the tips, but no tufts. Back without distinct pattern, colour as on 

 the forehead, darker towards the centre, paler towards the flanks. The 

 buff bases to the hairs showing through on the flanks, form almost invisible 

 spots which lower down become more distinct. Tail long, extending some 

 inches beyond the outstretched hind legs, tip brown black, with two or 

 three brown black rings above separated by greyish white intervals. Belly 

 white, grading to pale buff at the sides and with obscure reddish spots. 

 Legs on the upper side pale creamy white to the toes, thighs and upper 

 fore legs slightly darker with cross bars of pale brown. Underside of the 

 feet brown black. 



Dimensions of the fype.— Head and body, 630 mm ; tail, 372 ; hindfoot, 

 134; ear, 47. Skull:— Greatest length, 94; condyle basal length, 83; 

 ijygomatic breadth, 64.5 ; palatal length. 34.5 : least interorbital breadth, 

 17 ; breadth of braincase (broken), 45 ; upper tooth row behind canine 

 22.5 ; length of carnassial, 11.5 ; greatest length of buUse, 22. 



Ha6.— N. E. Arabia and Mesopotamia. The type from Koweit, Arabia. 

 Another specimen from Sheikh Saad, R. Tigris. 



I'wpe.— Apparently a male. B. M. No. 20.1.19.2. Collected May 1913, by 

 the late Capt. W. H. Shakespeare. Presented to the British Museum by 

 the Bombay Natural History Society. 



