106 I'ELID.B. 



described. Mr. Blyth states that F. javanensis differs most from the 

 type, approximating F. vtvcn-ina in coloring-. Those from Southern India 

 appear to have both a richer ground color, and the spots of a bolder 

 pattern than most from the north of India ; but I have seen some from 

 the Himalayas very similar. In some the marks have a marbled appear- 

 ance ; in others they appear to be disposed more irregularly and less, in 

 rows, and in some the spots are much smaller than in typical specimens. 



The original specimen described by Pennant was that of one said to 

 have swam on board ship at the mouth of the Hoogly, and it is said to 

 have coupled with English female cats, and that one of its offspring had as 

 little fear of water as its sire. I cannot help thinking that this must have 

 been a specimen of F, viverrina rather than bengalensis, especially as 

 Buchanan Hamilton applied the latter name to viverrina. 



The leopard-cat is found throughout the hilly regions of India, from 

 the Himalayas to the -extreme south and Ceylon, and in richly wooded 

 districts, at a low elevation occasionally, or where heavy grass jungle is 

 abundant, mixed vrith forest and brushwood. In the South of India it is 

 most abundant in Coorg, Wynaad, and the forest tract all along the 

 Western ghMs ; but is rare on the east coast and in Central India. It 

 ascends the Himalayas to a considerable elevation, and is said by Hodgson 

 even to occur in Tibet, and is found at the level of the sea in the Bengal 

 Sunderbuns. It extends through Assam, Burmah, the Malayan penin- 

 sula, to the islands of Java and Sumatra at all events. 



Mr. Elliot says of his Wagati,* that " it is very fierce, living in trees 

 in the thick forests, and preying on birds and small quadrupeds. A 

 ehikaree declared that it drops on larger animals and even on deer, 

 and eats its way into the neck ; that the animal in vain endeavours to 

 roll or shake it off, and at last is destroyed." In Coorg, I was informed 

 that it lives in hollow trees, and commits great depredations on the 

 poultry of the villagers. It also destroys hares, mouse deer, &c. Hutton 

 says, " I have a beautiful specimen alive, so savage that I dare not touch 

 her. They breed in May, have only three or four young, in caves or 

 beneath masses of rock." Mr. Blyth says, " I have had many in captivity, 

 none of which ever showed a disposition to become tame and confiding, 

 even though but half grown when they came into my possession, but 

 I never had a small kitten to begin with. It never paces its cage for 



* Mr. Elliot did not name this cat F. vagati^ as is generally quoted, eren by Blyth, but simply 

 gave it as No. 29, Felit . tywjnii, Mahi-»tti» of the ghSts. 



