African and Asiatic Wildcats.— The Egyp tian or gloved cat (F. caligaia) is the most in teresting of the Old World wildcats, because it is the source, or main source, of our domestic races. (Sec CAT). It inhabits northern Africa, and is about a third smaller than the European wildcat- ' it is yellowish, growing nearly white on the belly, and has obscure stripings on the body, limbs tail which is rather long. slender and typed with black, while the feet are usually 11.ickish. Another well-known Afri can cnt is !hi 1.irize, lone-legeed serval (F ser val) i and tbrottLihout the %%hole Continent. It becomes as h as 40 inches long from nose to rout of tail, and the tail may he 16 inches in length. In color it is tawny, with black spots, forming two irregular hands along the back. and black rings on the tail; its fur is a valuable commodity. Three or four other species dwell along the West African Coast, as the rare red brown 'golden-haired' cat (F. nada), the smaller gray, spotted, F. neglects, and the more yellowish F. semolina, hut none is well known Asia and the Malayan archipelago have a large number of wildcats, some of which when better known may prove to he more local va rieties of othes species. The most familiar are the common Indian wildcat (F. torqsdaia), which has much resemblance to the European one, but is more slender, a brighter fulvous in tint and less striped. Another wide-ranging species in India is the chaus, or jungle cat (h chaus), about 26 inches long to the tail, which measures 9 to 10 inches and drops to the heels. It is yellowish gray, more or less dark and unspotted, more reddish on the sides, where it unites with the lower parts; a dark stripe ex tends from the muzzle to the eye, and there are faint bars on limbs and tail. A very similar species, restricted to the arid plains of northern India, is the 'ornate' jungle-cat (F. anima). Another large East Indian cat, known from Nepal to Borneo, but nowhere numerous. is called the baycat (F. aurata), in reference to its hay-red color, which is unspotted and be comes whitish on the under surfaces. India also has several spotted cats, of which the best known is the widely distributed fishing-cat (F tiverrina), which may be 30 to 32 inches long itt body, with a tail 9 to 10 inches long; it feeds mainly on fish, snails and other mollusks, yet is noted for its fierceness, and has even been known to seize and carry away small native children. This cat is dark gray in general color, profusely spotted and striped with black ish like a civet. Smaller, more yellowish and much spotted, is the Indian leopard-cat (I bengalensir) which occurs in all parts of India and eastward to Java. Resembling it, but smaller, is the rare wagati; but more distinct and richly ornamented is the tiger-cat (F mar. morata), whose tawny coat is marbled or clouded with elongate wavy black lines and commingling spots. It is of small size, hut has a very long spotted tail. In the jungles of southern India the sportsman encounters about grassy places a small handsome species, with slender body and head, and rather short legs and long tail, called the rusty-spotted cat (F. rubiginosa), which is greenish gray
with white under parts, and has dark stnpes and lines of small spots extending from nose to rump, and pretty white marks about the face. A similar species (F. chinensis) belongs to southern China and Formosa: and several others in the Malayan region. It is quite likely that future increase of knowledge and connect ing specimens will bring them all tinder one name. In Borneo, however, lives a very distinct little cat (F. badia), tinted bright chestnut, white on the breast and belly, and without markings, except a few on the face, and a streak on the long tapering tail. The flat headed cat (F. Hankers) of Malacca, Sumatra and Borneo, is another distinct form It is about the size of a domestic cat, but the body is unusually long, the neck short and thick, the head globular and flat on top, the legs remark ably short and the tail short and thick. its fur is dark-brown above, each hair tipped with white, and it is spotted white on the lower parts, with yellow lines forming a V on the face. Central Asia has several notable wildcats, as the manul (F. nsont41), the cat (F. eandotias), and Tibetan tiger-cat F. scrip4o), all of which are handsomely or spotted, or both.
American Tropical South and tral America are the home of a large variety of small felines, as well as of the puma and jaguar. Of these the most notable are the eyra, ocelot, and jaguarondi (qq.v.) elsewhere de scnbed. In addition to these are several of much local interest. The margay or chati (F. weans) is a widespread and variable species, which is met with from Mexico to Paraguay, in warm and well-wooded lowland regions. Its fur may be a grizzly gray, or vary from that to a fox-red, profusely marked with black spots and rings, which extend along the tail, but do not form rings. There are three upright bars upon each cheek. The margay measures about two feet in length of body. and its tail about 11 inches. Geoffroy's at (E. rsigna) is a little known species of southern Brazil. The Pampas at or straw-cat (F. poksas) is a well-marked form. It is much larger and more robust than a house-cat, with short thick legs, a short, club-shaped tail, thick neck and small head, with great round eyes and very small ears. This appearance of weight and size is largely due to the unusual length of the hair, which is yellowish gray, marked with transverse brownish bands on the body, patches on the tace and rings around the tad. It inhabits the risen plains of Argentina, and with similar balms has become a curious counterpart of the manul of the Asiatic steppes.
Bibliography.— Mivart, 'The Cat' (New York 1892); Elliot. 'Monograph of the Feli cia' (London 1878-83); Hamilton, 'The Wild cat of Europe' (London 18%) ; Blanford, 'Fauna of British India — Mammals' (London 1888); 'Zoology of Persia' (London 1876); Blythe, ibifonograph of the Species of Lynx' (Calcutta 1846); Stone and Cram, 'American Animals' (New York 1902); and standard authorities.