FELI3 BUBIGINOSA. 



109 



Pondicterry, and I never saw or heard of it in Central India, or on 

 the Malabar coast. It occurs in Ceylon also, but there, according to 

 Kelaart, is found, not in the northern provinces, which resemble the Cama- 

 tic, but in the south, and on the hills, even at Newera-ellia. This 

 distribution, and the somewhat different character of the markings, incline 

 me to think that this may be a different species, and I think it possible 

 that it may be Felis Jerdoni of Blyth, which that gentleman recently 

 writes me is perhaps the representation of F. rubiginosa on the Malabar 

 coast. In the British Museum there is a specimen stated to be from 

 Malacca, but Mr. Blyth is incKned to think that a mistake. 



This very pretty httle cat frequents grass in the dry beds of tanks, 

 brushwood, and occasionally drains in the open country and near villages, 

 and is said not to be a denizen of the jungles. I had a kitten brought 

 me when very young (in 1846) and it became quite tame, and was the 

 deUght and admiration of all who saw it. Its activity was quite marvel- 

 lous, and it was very playful and elegant in its motions. When it was 

 about eight months old, I introduced it into a room where there was a 

 small fawn of the Gazelle, and the little creature flew at it the moment 

 it saw it, seized it by the nape, and was with difficulty taken off. I lost it 

 shortly after this. It would occasionally find its way to the rafters of bun- 

 galows and hunt for squirrels. Mr. W. Elliot notices that he has seen 

 several undoubted hybrids between this and the domestic cat, and I have 

 also observed the same. 



Felis planiceps, Vigors, from the Malayan peninsula, is the only other 

 Asiatic cat of this division known at present. There are many from 

 Africa and America, besides the wild cat of Europe, F. sylvestris. 

 The North African F. maniculata and F. margarita, are considered to be 

 two species, from which some of our domestic races may have originated, 

 but several species are known to breed freely with the domestic cat in 

 differents parts of the world. 



Other well known species are the Ocelot of South America, the F. 

 pardalis ; the Serval of Africa, F. serval, a very beautiful long limbed cat, 

 alhed to the Lynxine group, and there are very many others. 



2nd. Lynxine group. Distinguished by a more slender form of ske- 

 leton ; a somewhat large and pointed ear, which is more or less tufted in 

 general ; and a short tail. Mr. Blyth approximates the domestic cats 

 and their affines to this group. 



The first is by no means a typical form of Lynx. 



