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Show 18 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. having the hairs annulated with yellow. The following are the dimensions of two specimens in the Paris museum, and those given by the authors above alluded to.* Paris M. Paris l\1. Desmm·est. Temminck. A:a?·a. ln. Lines. ln. Lines. ln. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 30 28 0 23 0 30 u 3G of tail 2·1 0 17 0 13 22 0 13 2. FELIS PAJEROS. PLATE lX. Chat Pampa, Azam, Essais sur l'histoirc Naturollo des Quadmpcdcs du Paraguay. Tmduet. Fra11c;. tom. I. p. 179. Felis Pa.joros, Desmarest, JHa.mmologie, p. 231. F. vellere longissimo, jlavescenti-griseo, fasciis jlavescenti-fuscis indistincte et sublongitttdinaliter nota to; pedibus ann1tlis latis ni§Tis; abdomine maculis magnis nigris; menlo albo; ca1tdd brevi; auribus mediocribus, ad apicem externwn nigris. DESCRIPTION.-The Pampas cat is about equal in size to the common wild cat of Europe (Felis Galus, Linn.). It is however of a stouter form than that animal, the head is smaller, and the tail is shorter. The most remarkable character in this species consists in the great length of the fur,- the longer hairs on the back measuring upwards of three inches, and those on the hinder part of the back, arc from four and a half, to four and three quarter inches in length. The general colour of the fur is pale yellow-gray. Numerous irregular yellow, or sometimes brown stripes run in an oblique manner from the back along the sides of the body. On each side of the face there are two stripes of a yellowish or cinnamon colour: these stripes commence near the eye, extend backwards and dowuwards over the cheeks, on the hinder part of which they join and form a single line, which encircles the lower part of the throat. The tip of the muzzle and the chin are white, and there is a spot in front of the eye, and a line beneath the eye, of the same colour : the belly and the inner side and hinder part of * In measuring tl10 species of Mammalia, I almost invariably, when wi ~hing to give tho length, measure from the tip of the nose along tlte curve of t!w back to tho root of the tail. In tho l'tuminaotia of course this plan i ~ not desirable, but in other Mammals I have found it most convenient. If we take a. C::~t, for in stancr, and curve tho body in whatever way we please, we find the length (taken iu the way just mentioned) always the same. Whereas, if we take a straight line (as many naturalists do) the length will vr1ry according to the pobition of tbc animal. |
