48 
CARNIVORA. 
THE MELAS^\ 
Felis melas^ Peron. 
A large species of this genus was sent from Java 
to Paris, and deposited in the menagerie there, which 
is described as black with deeper black spots. It 
was about the size of the panther, but the legs were 
shorter. The spots were single, and not in oilets 
or clusters, which separates it from most, if not all 
the other species ; but the head was observed to be 
shaped like that of the panther. 
The opposite figure, from Major Smith’s collection, 
represents an animal which was exhibited in Mr. 
Bullock’s museum, and was said to have been 
brought from Java. It was long, low, strong built, 
with a head something elongated, of a brown black 
colour, with blacker specks. The eyes inserted were 
bluish, but the melas of Peron is stated to have had 
eyes of a silvery white. There seems, however, little 
reason to doubt the identity of the two species. 
* From {isKas, black. 
