20 



ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



2. Felis domestica. 



Felis domestica, Brisson, Reg. Anim. p. 264. 



I find in Mr. Darwin's collection a cat, the colouring and proportions of 

 which, convince me that its origin is from the domestic cat, as however it was 

 shot in a wild state far from any house, a description may, perhaps, prove useful. 

 Its general colour is deep gray, and the body is adorned with numerous irregular 

 narrow black bands; there is a broad black mark, formed of confluent spots, 

 along the middle of the back, which commences a little behind the shoulders ; 

 a considerable space around the angles of the mouth, the chin, throat, central 

 portion of the chest, fore-feet, toes of the hinder feet, and the posterior portion 

 of the belly, are white ; a black line extends backwards from the posterior angle 

 of the eye, on to the cheeks ; thence, across the throat, there are two lines : 

 the space between the eye is chiefly occupied with white hairs : the tail is 

 slender, and tapers towards the apex ; the basal half is gray with black rings, 

 and the apical half is black, excepting the extreme point, which is white : the 

 tarsus is black beneath : the legs are of a deep gray colour, banded with black 

 externally. 



To the dimensions I will add those of a domestic cat which in colour and 

 markings very closely resembles the animal above described. I may add that 

 I have chosen a cat rather above the ordinary size for my comparison, yet it 

 will be seen that the wild cat has the advantage in bulk. 



Length from nose to root of tail 



of tail 

 of tarsus 

 of ear 



Wild Cat. 



In. Lines. 



22 



12 3 



5 1 



1 11 



11 3 



Domestic Cat. 

 In. Lines. 



19 



11 



6 



7 



Height at shoulders 



Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, {May.) 



" This animal was killed amongst some thickets on a rocky hill a few miles 

 from Maldonado. It appeared, when dead, much larger and stronger than 

 any domestic cat I ever saw, and it was described to me as having been ex- 

 ceedingly fierce. I mention this because M. Temminck supposes that the do- 

 mesticated varieties of all animals are of larger size, than the wild stock from 

 which they are descended." — D.* 



* I must refer the reader to my journal for some account of the habits of the jaguar and puma, which being 

 well known animals, and the facts that I mention having little scientific interest, I have not thought it worth 

 while to repeat them here. 



