658 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON SOME AFRICAN CATS [June 18, 



F. neglecta, Gray redescribed F. celidogaster from Sierra Leone. 

 Thns, since neglecta and rittila are respectiA^ely synonyms of celido- 

 gaster' and cmrata, it appears that both the " grey " and the " red "' 

 forms occur in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone. 



Karsch records F. aurata {chrysothrix) from Bismarckburg in 

 Togoland * ; Pousargues examined skins of the grey-brown type 

 obtained from natives in the French Congo t ; and Sir Harry 

 Johnston declares that the " red " and the " grey " types live side 

 by side in Liberia J. 



Thus the published localities can scarcely be said to support, 

 though they do not wholly discredit, the belief that the " red *' 

 and the "grey" forms represent geographical races. 



A study of the skins available for examination still further 

 refutes the idea. 



In the British Museum there are in all seven skins of this species. 

 Their characters and other particulars regarding them are as 

 follows : — 



1. Cameroons {G. L. Bates). — Bay-red ; dorsal area not spotted, 

 sides faintly marked with small close-set spots ; outer side of limbs 

 faintly spotted ; tail with decided median black stripe, not 

 barred ; ventral surface yellowish (? discoloured), marked with 

 large dark brown spots. This belongs to the F. aurata-tjpe. 



2. Cameroons (G. L. Bates). — Differs from the last in being a 

 dirty greyish-bi'own washed with yellow on the sides and rather 

 more clearly spotted. Dirty Avhite below. This comes nearest to 

 the F. celidogaster -type. 



3. Cameroons {G. L. Bates). — Like no. 2 in colour but with less 

 yellow on the sides and with the median area of the back darker 

 and more sharply contrasted with the sides in tint. This also is 

 nearest to the F. celidogaster -type. 



4. Benito River, Congo, 25 miles from coast {G. L. Bates). — 

 Like no. 1 in markings and general tint, but not quite so bright 

 a red. 



5. Senegal § {Win-wood Beade). — Practically like nos. 1 and 4. 



6. Sierra Leone (type of neglecta Gray). — Grey, greyer than 

 nos. 2 and 3 and spotted all over, the spots in the middle area of 

 the back forming abbreviated longitudinal streaks. As already 

 stated, this belongs to the F. celidogaster -type. 



7. Ashanti ; obtained from dealer. — Spotted all over, the spots 

 forming comparatively large blotches darker and more rufous 

 than the ground-colour, which on the sides of the body is greyish, 

 but is decidedly more rufous on the head, neck, the dorsal area, the 

 tail, and the legs. The tail has a median dorsal line and distinct 

 lateral bars. 



* Mitth. deutscli. Schiitz. vi. pt. 3, p. 10 (1893). 



+ Ann. Sci. Nat. (8) iii. p. 322 (1896). 



X 'Liberia,' ii. p. 702 (1906). 



§ The locality of Winwood Keade's collection is doubtful, Mr. Thomas tells me. 



