20 



5. Felis pardoides. ^•^• 



The fur is grey, with a very large number of nearly equal-sized 

 round or oblong dark spots ; the sijots on the loins and rump are 

 larger, with a pale centre ; the cheeks and nape with black streaks ; 

 belly white, with large black spots ; tail ringed. Length of body 

 and head 26, tail 13 inches. 



Felis pardoides, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 403. 



Hab. Tropical America. 



The skuU of F. pardalis and the typical specimens of F. grisea 

 and F. melanwra are very similar in shape, size, and structure. The 

 nasal bones vary in shape ; in some skulls they are short, broad, and 

 gradually attenuated; in others the nasal bones are longer, very 

 broad in front, and then suddenly narrowed at about half their 

 length ; but the diiferent skulls vary in this respect, and the two 

 forms gradually pass into each other. 



The skuU of an adult F. pardalis is 5 inches long and 3| inches 

 wide, of the typical F. grisea 5^ inches long and 3| inches wide ; 

 the nose rather concave on the sides behind. In the typical F. 

 melanwra the length of the adult skuU is 5| inches, width 3 inches 

 7 lines ; intermaxillse elongated ; orbits moderate, incomplete be- 

 hind ; face broad, rather produced. 



The Ocelots are extremely variable ; and though there is a very 

 large series of specimens in the British Museum, I cannot make up 

 my mind whether they are all one, or whether there are three or 

 more species. There are two most distinct varieties as regards size 

 — the large Ocelots, with very large heads, and the smaller Ocelots, 

 with more moderate-sized heads ; but each variety presents several 

 variations of colour, and there are examples intermediate in size. 

 The differences in the size of the Ocelots may depend on the tem- 

 perature, the geographical disposition, and the abundance or scarcity 

 of food in the district which they inhabit. I can weU believe that 

 the large variety is as dangerous and destructive as the Jaguar, as 

 travellers assert. 



Leopardus pictus (Mag. N. H. x. p. 260, 1842) is one of the larger 

 kind, and it has the spots very different from those of any other 

 specimen in the collection ; but this is such a difference as one may 

 expect to find only a variation when one examines a large series of 

 specimens. 



Leopardus griseus (Mag. N. H. x. p. 260, 1842) differs from the 

 other Ocelots in having a grey fur with whitish sides. There are 

 several specimens which agree in this peculiarity. The grey spe- 

 cimens offer several variations in the spotting, like the fulvous 

 specimens. One specimen has a rather yellow tint in the middle of 

 the back ; otherwise the grey colour seems permanent. Mr. Blyth 

 has observed that the smaller and darker Spotted Cats become more 

 fulvous as they attain full age ; but that cannot explain the greyness 



