SMALLER CATS. 
4i3 
an equally marked inclination towards a rufous hue. Blyth states that some 
of the grey varieties are hybrids with the domestic cat. 
Although invariably found in forest districts, the leopard-cat is not confined to 
the hills, as it occurs in the sandarbans of Bengal at the level of the sea. Its prey 
consists of small mammals and birds, and it is said to breed in the spring, when it 
produces from three to four kittens at a birth; the lair being generally in a cave 
or under an overhanging cliff. I 11 spite of its small size, the leopard-cat is a 
ferocious and spiteful animal, in captivity generally keeping curled up during 
the daytime in a dark corner of its cage, instead of pacing up and down in 
the usual restless feline manner. Blyth, who was unusually successful in taming 
wild creatures, confesses to having utterly failed in all his efforts to conciliate 
the leopard-cat, and his experience is confirmed by most others who have 
had to do with the animal. Mr. Blanford states, however, that a specimen in the 
London Zoological Gardens appeared thoroughly tame, and would answer readily 
to the call of its keeper. The depredations of this cat appear to be conducted with 
great boldness, General MAIaster stating that he saw one carry oft’ a fowl nearly 
as large as itself, shaking it savagely meanwhile, and making a successful retreat, 
in spite of the abuse, uproar, and missiles which the theft caused. 
The Serval (Fells served). 
With the serval we come to a well-known African cat of much larger dimensions 
than either of the three preceding species. It is a spotted cat, easily recognised by 
the great length of its legs and the comparative shortness of its tail, which is con¬ 
siderably less than half the length of the head and body. The ground-colour of 
the fur is generally of a light tawny, becoming whitish beneath. The black spots 
are generally small and widely separated, but in the middle line of the back tend 
to run together in streaks. The cheeks and forehead lack the dark stripes found 
in so many of the smaller spotted cats, but there are two very characteristic 
horizontal black bands on the upper part of the inner surface of each fore-leg, by 
which a skin of this species may be recognised at a glance. The tail is ringed 
throughout with black, and has a tip of the same colour. I 11 well-grown adult 
examples the total length may reach 4 feet 8 inches, of which 16 inches are occupied 
by the tail. This cat is found from one end of Africa to the other, but appears to 
be more common in the south than in the north. Its “ leggy ” build and poor colora¬ 
tion render the serval a by no means handsome representative of the family. 
Owing to the general lack of attention paid to them by the majority of 
sportsmen and travellers, we have far less information as to the habits and mode 
of life of the smaller cats of Africa and South America than Ave possess with regard 
to those of India, where a host of careful observers have made us tolerably well 
acquainted with most of the Mammals in their wild state. 
In East Africa, as we are informed by Mr. H. C. V. Hunter, the serval inhabits 
the grassy plains at the foot of Mount Kilima-njaro, Avhere it is not uncommon. 
It also ranges to an elevation of five thousand feet or more on the flanks of the 
mountain. At that ele\ T ation a black specimen was obtained by Mr. Hunter, and, 
since the natives have a separate name for this black variety, it must be compara- 
