12 STUDIES IN THE EVOLUTION OF ANIMALS 



yellowish-brown general colour, with broad transverse patches of 

 a yellowish-grey, margined with black blotches or spots. The 

 patches are evidently fusions of several rosettes of a similar colour. 

 The haunches are rosetted, and the tail has its rings double, which 

 is also a vestige of a rosetted body. 



There is another much like the foregoing, the little Marbled 

 Tiger (F. inarmoratd)} It is either Leopard-yellow or grey, with 

 large clouded patches edged and spotted with black, while the 

 general colour is paler. Its haunches and shoulders are spotted. 

 The tail is either spotted or ringed. 



We come now to the Caffer Cat (^F. caffrd), which is of a 

 bluish-grey, striped with black. Tiger-fashion. (See variant on 

 p. 421, Roy. Nat. Hist.) 



From this we pass to the Tigers, which every one knows. 



We pass, then, to total obliteration of spots and stripes in 

 the self-coloured Cats, like the Puma {F. concolor), which is also 

 called Cougar, Panther, and American Lion. In the adult 

 stage it is all plain, and of a rich brownish-grey, but its kittens 

 are spotted. 



How astonished the Puma must be when she has cubs for the 

 iirst time ! She looks at her husband's coat and at her own, and 

 sees them of a uniform rich isabelline colour, and then she finds 

 her kittens are born spotted all over like young leopards. Are 

 these really my children ? Yes, your very own ! You have 

 succeeded in shaking off your rosettes, but your kittens still 

 masquerade in that antiquated dress, and prove to you that after 

 all your pedigree is identical with that of the Leopard ! 



There are innumerable transition markings between rosettes, 

 solid spots, and stripes, and many Cats have only vestiges of spots 

 or stripes. The tails of most of these Felidcs are ringed, and the 



^ In the Koy. Nal. Hist, these are called Clouded Leopard and Marbled Cat. 



