204 Animal Life 
relished. A very good plan would be to contract with a poulterer to take all the 
fowls’ heads he could supply; this he would readily do at a very low figure. Rats 
and mice may at times be given to vary the diet. 
Another small cat very closely allied to the preceding species is the Rusty-spotted 
Cat (Ff. rubiginosa). Although so nearly akin, there is a great difference in the 
disposition of the two species, the one under present notice being much more amiable, 
generally permitting many little liberties. It is very light and nimble in its movements, 
but does not display before strangers. Some people say it 1s morose and sulky, but 
the writer has not found it so. One specimen he had was very nervous and contimually 
crouched in one corner of its cage, and would not come to the front of the cage 
whilst a stranger was in the room. It is rather a short-lived creature, two years 
appearing to be the limit of its life im a state of captivity. 
A rather rare species is the Golden Cat (Ff. temmincki). A friend of the writer's 
had a specimen for some few years. It was more active than almost any of the cats 
during the daytime, and had a habit of hiding its food under the bedding of its box 
while the sun was up, evidently with the intention of eating it at night, although it 
was never actually caught domg so. ‘This is another species that beef does not suit, 
and the specimen in question was in a rather bad way until the writer recommended 
mutton as an alternative diet, supplemented with occasional live fowls, pigeons or rabbits; 
but as this is expensive and savours of cruelty, mutton and fowls’ heads may be given. 
The Marbled Cat (£. marmorata) unfortunately does not live more than a few 
weeks or months at the outside in captivity. Those who have kept it describe it as 
being extremely irritable and pugnacious in disposition. 
The Jungle Cat (Ff. chaus) does not appear to be more amiable in disposition, 
being nearly as intractable as the fishing cat, generally spitting and snarling with 
every sign of vindictiveness at any person who approaches its cage. 
The Pampas Cat (Ff. pajeros) is a robust-looking cat that is well worth anyone’s 
attention, but in order to be kept in proper health must be fed on bird-meat. If a 
live bird be given it, it generally kills 1t with a round swing of its fore-lmb instead 
of pouncing on its prey in the usual cat-like manner. Young ones can be trained to 
nearly the same extent of tameness as the domestic cat, and in the Argentine villages 
crosses between the wild pampas cats and the domestic breed are not uncommon; it 
is therefore extremely probable that a very handsome and powerful-looking cross could 
be produced between the domestic cats of that country and a tamed specimen of the 
pampas cat, especially if the latter had been caught as a kitten. 
A very handsome cat of a warm reddish-brown colour and of a weasel shape is 
the Hyra (Ff. eyra). The temper of this cat is variable according to individual 
specimens, some being so tame as to be allowed partial liberty and others so 
treacherously savage as to be kept always caged. 
The Kaffir or Egyptian Cat (Ff. libyca) is chiefly of interest as beimg the species 
kept by the ancient Egyptians and embalmed after death. Numerous mummies of 
these cats have been discovered during the excavations in Hgypt. They are rather 
long-lived in captivity, and that is about the best that can be said of them, as the 
writer is no more friendly with one after ten years than he was on the first day. 
The last two animals to be mentioned here are the Cheetah and the Puma. The 
cheetah, or Hunting Leopard (Cyrelurus jubatus), as it is more correctly called, is a 
very pretty and affectionate animal, but extremely difficult to keep; in fact it is 
about the most difficult of all the Felide to look after and maintain in health in a 
state of captivity. Travelling menageries seem more fortunate with these and other 
animals of the same family; at any rate their animals are generally in better health, 
and live longer than those in zoos or private menageries The great thing with the 
