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. 
In. 
Lines. 
In. 
Lines. 
Length from nose to root of tail . 
. 22 
0 
19 
0 
of tail . 
. 12 
3 
11 
6 
of tarsus . . . . 
. 5 
1 
4 
7 
of ear . ... . 
1 
11 
Height at shoulders . . . . 
. 11 
3 
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, {May.) 
“ This animal was killed amongst some 
thickets 
on a 
rocky hill 
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. 
