FELTS, a genus of the mammalia, of the cat kind, of the natural order Carnivora, the family Felidre, and tribe Felinm. Amongst naturalists, the notices of them are usually limited to the larger wild animals of this genus. The lion, the pard, the cheeta, the ehaus, the wild cat, and the earacal or lynx, are common to India and Africa. The tiger, the pard, the clouded leopard, the marbled tiger cat, the large tiger cat, the leopard cat, and the bay cat are common to India, Assam, Burma, and Malayana. The ounce is of Central Asia ; and the small tiger cat (F. Jerdoni), the rusty spotted cat, and the spotted wild cat, are confined to the Peninsula of India.
Several of the smaller species of Felis have a very close family resemblance, and zoological writers have not agreed as to their specific distinctions. Similarly, amongst sportsmen in India, there is a continuous attempt to distinguish the various kinds of the cheeta. This word is of Hindi or Mahrati origin, and means spotted ; and amongst the spotted feline animals, sportsmen speak of the leopard, the panther, the black leopard, the cheeta, the hunt ing or maned cheeta ; and cheeta is generally applied as a suffix to all of these. There would seem to be at least four varieties of spotted cats, besides such rare animals as the snow leopard of the Himalaya, and the black panther.
The two larger animals, which are confusingly called cheeta, panther, leopard, differ so much in marking and appearance, as to make them, alike to tho scientific and to the unscientific eye, appear distinct species. The lighter coloured of
the two has the ground of a light tawny yellow, shaded into white at the belly, and inside of the legs, neck, and cheat.
Besides these, there is a small spotted cat also called cheeta, which preps on dogs and small animals, but is quite unequal to cope with a bullock. The rings are closer and smaller than those on the larger panther.
The hunting or maned leopard (Felis jubata, Leoparda jubata), the fourth on the list, is quite distinct, and it has a mane. Its claws are only partially retractile. Many of the native princes train them to hunt antelopes.
Fells leo, the Lion.
Shingal, . . . • EENO. I Sher ; Babbar Sher, HIND. Untia-bag'h of . . GUJ. I . . . . „ Naturalists aro now of opinion that the lion of Africa and Asia are identical, pale-coloured varie ties being common in Africa ; but the African lion has a somewhat different physiognomy, and generally a finer inane, as well as a median line of lengthened hairs along the abdomen, which is seldom present in the Asiatic lion. It is found chiefly in the north-west, from Catch to Hurriana, Gwalior, rind Saugor.
Fells tigris, Linn., the Royal Tiger.
Striped tiger, . . ENG. Putte wagh, . . MAUR. HIND. Rimass,lia-riMan, SUMAT.