MAMMALIA. 



19 



Compared with the skull of Felis chaus, that of F. shawiana is comparatively longer, 

 it has the nasal portion more elongate, the face less convex, the breadth behind the postorbi- 

 tal processes less, whilst the processes themselves are longer and project further. The true 

 lynxes have an even shorter and more convex skull, and so have the smaller typical cats. 

 The skull of Chaus caudatus approximates to that of the true cats, being rounder and 

 shorter than that of F. chaus. The only skull I can find which approaches in form to that 

 of Felis shawiana belongs to F. viverrina, the type of Gray's genus Viverriceps, a cat with 

 a peculiarly long head. 



Felis shawiana is distinguished externally from F. {Chaus) caudata by its much shorter 

 tail, from F. chaus by being spotted throughout, and from F. torquata (F. ornata, Gray) 

 by its shorter tail, more rufous colouration, and distinct black spots on the abdomen. It 

 is very different from F. euptilura, 1 which has red spots on the sides and rufous bars across 

 the breast. 



This cat appears to be common in the plains of Eastern Turkestan, around Kashghar and 

 Yarkand. Dr. Stoliczka has noted on the label of the original skin that the animal is found 

 abundantly, and I have received the same account from Captain Biddulph, Dr. Scully and 

 Mr. Shaw. 



In the figure on plate lb, the black spots on the belly have been omitted. Three views 

 of the skull are given on plate lc. 



11. Felis tjncia. 



Schreb., Saugth., i, p. 3S6, PI. C. 



1, Adult skin (probably purchased) sent from Leh ; 2, Skin of young animal without label ; 3, skull of young 

 animal purchased at Kashghar, and said to have been brought from Sarikol (the two last very possibly 

 belonged to the same individual). 



The occurrence of the ounce, or snow leopard, as it is called by sportsmen, on the Pamir, 

 might have been anticipated. It is found in parts of Southern Siberia, 2 throughout Tibet, 

 on the Altyn-tagh, south of Lob-nor, and in Western Turkestan. To the east it extends to the 

 Amur, where Schrenk found it abundantly, and it occurs to the westward on the mountains 

 of Persia, Armenia and Asia Minor, being found in the latter country near Smyrna. 3 



12. Felis lynx. 



Linn., Syst. Nat., i, p. 62 

 Salesan, Turki of Yarkand (Scully). 



] , 2, Skins (without skulls or feet) purchased at Kashghar. 



Two fine skins, removed, without cutting open the belly, by an incision from the inse r- 

 tion of the tail to between the thighs, are marked as purchased for Government by Captain 

 Chapman in Kashghar ; one is said to have been brought by an Aksu merchant. Both 

 belong to the European form of lynx, and not to the much paler F. isabellina 4 of Tibet. 



1 Ellliot, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 761, PI. LXXVI. 



2 Pallas, Zoog. Ros. As., i, p. 17 ; Middendorf, Sib Reis., ii, 2, p. 75. 



3 Danford and Alston, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 272. 



4 J. A. S. B. xvi, 1847, p. 1178. 



