Black-tailed Ocelot. 
Felis Melanura , Ball, Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 128, 1829. 
On the annexed plate is represented, perhaps, the most beautiful species of American 
Felidce yet discovered; the specimen from which the accompanying figure and description weie 
taken, lived for some time in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, and now forms 
part of its Museum. 
“Size larger than the Margay, but proportionately slighter; on the fore toes are longitudinal black stripes, 
on the hind toes spots. Three irregular narrow stripes of white on the sides, connected by anastomosing 
branches, divide the coloured part into island-like irregular spaces, which are black on the edges, shading into 
fulvous in the centre; these island-like spaces are spotted with black. The tail nearly touches the ground, is 
pointed and black, save at the under part near the anus, where it is marked with a little white, and shows as 
it were an imperfect attempt at annulation. The back is black, with a bright fulvous fleur-de-lis sort of 
marking on the neck; a narrow band of fulvous crosses below the scapulae, from which run at right angles 
down the back to the rump two indistinct stripes of the same colour, about half an inch apart; the inside of the 
ears is fulvous, the outside black, with a white spot on each; the belly white, beautifully but irregularly spotted 
with black; a very distinct black band crosses the chest; a white spot on the lower eyelid, and another longer 
on the upper; the cheeks are fulvous, striped with black; the forehead is fulvous, ornamented with black, two 
stripes of which run up the forehead from the eyes, parallel to each other; they are connected together above: 
immediately over the eyes are four longitudinal spots; above these may be traced three more irregular, and 
over these three, two, the three sets of spots being as it were ranged in ranks. The fulvous colour is chiefly 
confined to the fore part of the animal.” 
Since the animal first arrived in this country some trifling change has taken place, particularly 
in the extension of the white on the tail, which makes the name not quite so applicable as it was. 
Habitat, South America. 
In the background is represented a cultivated grain (field produce) called “ Bhadlee. It is 
copied from one of Col. Sykes’ drawings, made at Serroor, 5th October, 1825, and, from the 
scale annexed, appears to grow to the height of between two and three feet. 
