1S72.] F. Stoliezka — Mammals and Birds inhabiting Kachh. 227 



The common jungle cat {F. chaws) is the only representant of the small- 

 er Felidce, and though not abundant it is met with occasionally throughout 

 the country. 



The red lynx (F. caracal) is, however, certainly rare, as it likewise is in 

 other parts of India. I have only seen one animal shot some years ago by 

 the Rao of Kachh, but I heard of it in different parts of the country. Like 

 the pard, it seems to be very fond of digging after Uromastix HardwicJcii, 

 which in common with some of the inhabitants it appears to find a very 

 tasty meal. 



F. juhata, the hunthig leopard, was seen by me only on one occasion 

 in the Wagur district (north of Chitrore), but I could not obtain any in- 

 formation as to its further occurrence. It seems to be scarcely known in the 

 western and southern parts of Kachh. 



The striped hyaena (H. striata) also occasionally occurs in the eastern 

 parts of Kachh, and about the Rann islands. I have, however, nowhere 

 heard of a single Viverra or a Paradoxurus, which no doubt prefer forest to 

 open country. 



132. FLerpestes griseus, called by Jerdon the ' Madras Mangoos,' is 

 the only species of this genus, and generally distributed, though not very 

 common. Body of a male 18", tail 15" ; a female which I shot was somewhat 

 larger. The general colour of the fur above is (in winter) brown, grizzled 

 with white ; the longer hairs are adpressed and very long, particularly at the 

 sides, each with four to five dark brown rings, separated by pale white, the 

 two colours passing into each other by a rufous brown tint, which, during 

 the summer, in some individuals at least, appears to prevail over the dark 

 brown, and when in older skins the brown fades, the rings may be described 

 as rufous, but they certainly are not so in fresh skins. The white rings 

 generally have barely a tinge of yellow, in some specimens they may be said 

 to be pale fawn colour. The elongated hairs at the lower side are broadly 

 tipped with fulvous fawn, and those at the end of the tail are mostly of that 

 colour, which in so far may be said to be concolorous with the body. The 

 sides of the snout, particularly in front and about the eyes, are distinctly 

 rufous, more so in the male than in the female, and the entire head is also 

 tinged with more rufous, than any other part of the body. Ears light brown, 

 thickly set with short hair, more mixed with white in front than behind. 

 General colour below fawn, the rings on the hair being pale brown and on 

 many nearly obsolete. Feet in front rufous brown, speckled with white ; 

 claws brown, pale towards the tips ; soles dark fleshy brown ; muzzle 

 reddish brown. 



The Indian Wolf (Canis pallipes) is tolerably common in the Wagur 

 district and on the Rann, but less so in Western Kachh, while the jackal 

 (0. aureus) abounds everywhere. Pariah dogs are, as may be imagined com- 

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