238 
WILD-CATS AT THE ZOO 
a tree-climbing species, as active on the branches as 
a squirrel. 
On the other hand, there are a pair of ocelots which, 
in the absence of the clouded tiger, may be taken as 
representing almost the highest development of orna- 
ment among four-footed animals. One of the pair 
comes from Southern and the other from Central 
America. No two ocelots are marked exactly alike, 
but the general tone and shading is sufficiently alike 
to compare them generally with other species. The 
Argus pheasant alone seems to afford a parallel to the 
beauties of the ocelot’s fur, especially in the develop- 
ment of the wonderful “ ocelli,” which, though never 
reaching in the beast the perfect cup and ball orna- 
ment seen on the wings of the bird, can be traced in 
all its earlier stages of spots and wavy lines, as far as 
the irregular shell-shaped ring and dot on the feet, 
sides, and back, just as in the subsidiary ornament of 
the Argus pheasant’s feathers. Most of the ground 
tint of the fur is a pearly smoke-colour, on which the 
spots develop from mere dots upon the legs, and 
speckles on the feet and toes to large egg-shaped 
ocelli on the flanks. There are also two beautiful 
pearl-coloured spots at the back of each ear, like those 
which form the common ornaments of the wings of 
many moths. As in the golden cat, the very large 
convex translucent eye and the pink nose make the 
face of the ocelot a wonderful combination of con- 
trasts in colour and texture. Apparently they are 
tame and friendly, though the conditions of their life 
