96 



MAMMALIA. 



Lin.), twice tlio size of a lar:xo domestic Cat, and comparatively jower on tlic le^s, is marked some^vhat like the 

 JaLTuar, bat \i ith a tendency to a linkini^ of the spots into longitudinal bands, more or less obsen'able in different 

 individuals.* F. SumatrauKs and Bengalensis are not larger than a House-cat, but coloured like the foregoing^ ; 

 though individuals commonly occur of the same greyish ground-tint as the majority of the smaller species. A 

 beautiful European Cat, with the markings of the Leopard group, is the F. pardina, Oken, which inhabits the 

 mountains of Spain \ its tail, however, is short, as in the following. There are many others]. 

 Lynxes ai'e short-tailed Cats, with mostly pencil-tofts to their ears, and fur generally spotted more or less dis- 

 tinctly : those of cold countries have the fur long. 

 A species bttle less than a Leopard {F. lynx, Lin.) 

 still inhabits the mountainous parts of Europe, 

 from Scandinavia to Spain and Naples, and, it is 

 said, the north of Africa also. [Prof. Nilsson dis- 

 tinguishes three large European species in Scan- 

 dinavia, and figures different varieties of each.] 

 The Canada Lynx is smaller, with very long fur, 

 which extends even under the toes; [it is allied 

 to the Wild Cat of Britain. There are many 

 others, some, as the Pampas Cat [F.pojeros)'^Ya.&' 

 ing into the next group. We can only notice 

 a handsome short-haired species, the Caracal of 

 Turkey and Persia, almost uniform bright vinuus 

 red; it is the true Lynx of the ancients. The 

 Chati {F. Serial, F. Cuv.), an elegant spotted 

 species, of slender form, and very high upon the 

 legs, may be approximated to this group, and 

 indeed has a moderately short and singularly 

 niobiic tail: it inhabits Africa. Allied to it is the Chati (F. mith), a native of South America. 



Apitniaching tlip domestic Cat in size^ colour, and markings, are also numerous species, among which the 

 nati\<.- Cat nf Britain dig. 35) may be particularized, distinguished by its tail not tapering as in the tame Cat; 

 it is also larger, but with much shorter intestinal canal, though it is probable that the length of intestine in the 

 common Cat may have been gradually induced by long-continued habituation to a less carnivorous regimen, 

 operating through mar.y successive generations. 'Hie domestic Cat is referred by Temminck to his F. manlcvlata, a 

 species wild in Egypt ; but is probably a mingled race, derived from several distinct wild stocks : our author, in 

 his last edition, referred it to the European W^ild Cat, but subsequently retracted his opinion : the Angora variety 



of it is perhaps the most remarkable, being 

 covered with long silky hair. Of the spotless 

 species, may be mentioned] 



The Cougar, Puma, or pretended Linn of 

 America [F. concolor, Lin.) (Fig. 36)— Red [sil- 

 very or greyish-red], with small spots of a 

 slightly deeper colour, which are not easily per- 

 ceived [nor always present in the adults, and a 

 small black tuft at the end of the tail. Size 

 nearly that of a Leopard], from bnth Americas, 

 where it preys on Sheep, Deer. i!s;c. [and has 

 been known, though very ranly, to attack 

 mankind. An allied species, redder, and with 

 shorter tail, exclusively from South America, is 

 known as F. unicolor; and there is a small 

 species also very similar, the Eira of Azzara, 

 the tail of which is not tufted. The Jaguarundi 

 is another from the same locality, of medium 

 size, altogether of a blackish-brown, more or 

 s : ami there is a deep reddish-brown Cat in India, scarcely larger than the 



less dark, and rather low on the le 



upo[L tlie prove rliially 

 .iiimiils, riiny be 

 ce. Ay<.-iillumau 

 c yciirs enjoyed 

 \ (ioincstic Cut, 

 io\\-evcr, at tlie fire- 

 hidc, wlicii a child of three yours old was playing with it, as it hiiU 

 ofi-.ti done before, the animul, beinc: irritated, seiicd the infant by 

 the throat, and killed it before ashistanee could be rendered. An 

 iriM.uHC lias occurred !n tliis country of a babe being- lUtiieked by a 

 larnc Fcrrtt. Tiic I>onicslic Cut is undoubtedly iLiore suscfplible of 

 attachment than it has been irenerally dcscrihed ; and it i.s surprisinir 

 to perceive how patieLitly it bears tlie rounb handlinj; of chiiilren. We 

 Lave seen it hull tlie return of persons it knew with as lively jny as 



It ■■ 



Mlh'. 



perliaps be questioned, thai w 

 to death over the body of its 

 maitinfr it its prey ; it is ncedl 

 lectof tlie Cat is very much iiife 

 Account some allowance may be (jn 

 W^ilh respect to the Domestic C 

 be borne in mind, which is, that 

 nature lias been considerably modifii 



; the Dot! will mourn and even pine 

 ter, the Cat feels no compunction in 



to observe, however, that the intci- 



, also, another consideralion may 



ere can be iittlc doubt that its 



by domestication, which has 



t'radually rendered it less exclusively cariiivorcTis than its wild con 

 geners. It is even remarkable that instances of the rapacity of this 

 animal townrds young children are nut of frequent ceeurrencc, Ed. 



