THE SERYAL. 
Felis served. 
Plate VIII. 
1 he Servai is ail exclusively African species ol Cat, extensively distributed in the South, but occurring also 
on the West Coast, at least as high up as the River Gambia, whence the animals now figured were obtained by 
the late Mr. Whitfield. These appear to be absolutely identical with the Servals of the South, although a 
second species is believed to inhabit the intermediate country, and has been described provisionally from an 
imperfect skin, by Mr. Ogilby, in the “ Proceedings” of the Zoological Society for 1839, under the name of 
Felis servalina. Flat skins of this latter animal have also been lately brought from Angola, by Mr. Monteiro, 
as recorded in the list of his collection, given in the Society’s “Proceedings” for 1860 (p. 246). 
The Servai was a name originally applied to an unknown Indian animal, but transferred by Buffon to 
the present species. It has likewise been called Felis galeopardus, by Desmarest, and is figured in Lesson’s 
“ Illustrations de Zoologie,” under the name of Felis senegalensis. Its large elongated ears and short ringed 
tail render it rather strikingly different from the rest of its congeners, and almost as worthy of subgeneric 
distinction as the Caracal and others, which have obtained that rank in some classifications. 
The Servai is well known to the Colonists of South Africa as the Bosch-Kat or Tyger-bosch-Kat, and is 
said to be still abundant in some of the more retired localities. The left-hand figure in the accompanying- 
plate admirably expresses its attitude of surprise, when its attention is suddenly awakened by some 
unfamiliar object. It is rather shy and somewhat spiteful in captivity, and not very commonly met with in 
collections of living animals. 
