HABITAT.—Thibet.[14]
14 Milne-Edwards describes this animal in his 'Recherches sur les Mammifères,' page 341.
[NO. 215. FELIS SHAWIANA.]
The Yarkand Spotted Wild-Cat.
NATIVE NAME.—Molun, Turki.
HABITAT.—Turkistan, Yarkand.
DESCRIPTION.—"General colour pale greyish fulvous above, the back rather darker than the sides; under parts white; the body marked throughout with rather small black spots which are largest on the abdomen, smaller and closer together on the shoulders and thighs, tending to form cross lines on the latter, and indistinct on the middle of the back; anterior portion of the face and muzzle whitish; cheek stripes of rusty red and black; hairs mixed; ears rather more rufous outside, especially towards the tip, which is blackish brown and pointed; the hairs at the end scarcely lengthened; interior of ears white; there are some faint rufous spots at the side of the neck; breast very faintly rufous, with one narrow brownish band across; inside of limbs mostly white; a black band inside the forearm, and a very black spot behind the tarsus; tail dusky above near the base, with five or six black bars above on the posterior half, none below, the dark bars closer together towards the tip; fur soft, moderately long, purplish grey towards the base."
SIZE.—Apparently exceeds that of the common cat, and equals F. chaus; the tail about half the length of the body.
I have taken the above description from Mr. W. T. Blanford ('Report on the Second Yarkand Mission: Mammalia') who has first described and named this new species. There is also an excellent plate in the same portion of the report, which unfortunately is published at an almost prohibitive price, and to be obtained at the Government Press. The black spots on the belly have been inadvertently left out; otherwise the plate is excellent, as are all the others, especially the osteological ones.
[NO. 216. FELIS CHAUS.]
The Common Jungle-Cat (Jerdon's No. 115).