67-2 



Mil. i!. I. l>Utt»CK OX SOMli: AFJlIf'AX CATS 



June 18, 



is a dwarfed and otherwise modified Cat of the last-mentioned type. 

 It is not therefore a matter for sni'piise that in many of the 

 charactei-s in which the skull diftei's from that of F. ocyeata, it shows 

 an approximation to featuies presented by the young of that 

 species. This is esjjecially shown in the relatively lai-ger brain- 

 case and auditoi-y bulke. Tlie skull of a kitten of /'. ocreata 

 resembling that of F. nigrijies in size diiieis most markedly from 

 the skull of F. niyripes in that the plane of the nasals is in almost 

 the same line as that of the antei'ioi- poi-tion of the fi'ontals, the fall 

 of the face begiiining only a little in front of the f i onto-parietal 

 suture. 



Text-fio'. 177. 



JPelis nic/ripcs. 

 Photograpli of the living- animal in summer coat with markings well-defined. 



It ma}' further be noted as an intei-esting fact that the auditoiy 

 bullae and auditory orifice in F. nigri2)es are actually nearly as 

 large as in an adult of F. ocreata. The explanation of this is to 

 be sought. I suspect, in the relative defencelessness of F. nigripes, 

 which I'eqnires an acntei- auditoi'V sense than F. ocreata, for the 

 purpose of evading enemies. 



The following description of this species is taken from the skins in 

 the Bi'itish Museum and from the two specimens in the Society's 

 collection. 



General colour creamy oi' greyish fawn on the neck, sides and 



