WILD-CATS AT THE ZOO 
235 
and close, its eyes yellow with a black centre. The 
face of the adult is narrow like that of a female house- 
cat ; but the six parallel lines, two on either side, and 
two in the centre of the head, break into spots upon 
the back. Its tail, which is long and thick, is spotted, 
not ringed, and it has spotted, leopard-like legs. 
The collection of these beautiful smaller felidce 
in the Zoological Gardens is less complete than that 
of any other tribe exhibited. Even the “ clouded tiger,' ” 
the most perfect in colouring of all the spotted kinds, 
has disappeared from the collection, though some 
years ago there were two fine specimens in the Cat 
House. The “ clouded tiger” is marked with almost 
rectangular ornaments of clouded black on a ground 
of rich buffi. It is the largest of all the “ tiger-cats,” 
and has a very long, thick, silky tail, ringed with black. 
This animal has a special claim to be an inmate of 
the Zoo, for it was first discovered and brought to 
this country by Sir Stamford Raffles, the moving 
spirit in the establishment of the Zoological Society. 
They were no less good than beautiful, and the 
following description of their behaviour from the pen 
of Sir Stamford Raffles himself should be contrasted 
with the ancient and inbred malignity of the true 
wild “ cat.” 
“ Both my specimens,” he wrote, “ were remarkable 
for good-temper and playfulness ; no domestic kitten 
could be more so. They were always courting inter- 
course with persons passing by, and in the expression 
of the countenance, which ivas always open and smiling , 
