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LIS VIVERRINA
India, and Malacca, and that they all varied in size, length of tail, colour and size of spots, and tint of fur. The eal
the Formosan animal is much livelier, and the spots more distinct; and the skin is much sought after by the Chinese t
rake cuffs and collars for their coats. From this eause the ereature is comparatively rare. He relates the following, but
does not vouch for its truth:—"Some ninety years ago the Chinese colonists of Formosa, being very anxious to exterminate
the savages ffom the mountains, imported a pair of Tigers @) from China, and let them loose in the woods. The savages
at first took them for a large variety of Cat, and tried to make friends with them; but some of their number having fallen
victims to the fl Tigers), the animals were pursued and soon dispatched by their javelin
this introduction took place was christened and still bears the name of the GreatCat Ifl” This Cat be
resemblance to some ofthe Firerne; and Mr. Hougson thinks it i affined to that group, from the form of its face, and
to the Lynxes hy the shortness of its tail, which extends but little below the ov cafes. But, as stated by Fraser, it has no
ears are short and devoid of tufts, the body full, and the Kimbs strong and of medium
‘The intestinal eanal is more than three times the length of the body
Far short, eoaee. General colour dark grey (ark
ston back), thickly covered with dark brown spots, smallest and
conspicuous upon the shoulders. Head and back have three or four dark brown lines going lengthwise, which, however,
‘upon the lower back and rump be up into spots like those on the flanks and other parts. Two blackish be
lines pass across the cheek, one from behind and one from beneath the forward part of the eye; and a line of the same hue
crosses the throat just below the chin. Throat and breast white, the latter erossed by three or four blackish brown lies
passing ffom shoulder to shoulder. Belly same colour as flanks, spotted with blackish brown in continuous ines crosswise
Inside of legs greyish white, with fom to to three dark brown bare erossing the upper part near the body. "Tail rather
short slender, same colour as the back, barred on top with chestnut-brown, the bi nally, and meeting in the
wntre, forming a Veshapod mark; tip chestnutbrown. Underneath greyish white I from nose to root of tail
shout 30 inches, til 9.
A specimen of this species in the Paris Museum from Cochin China is of general reddish grey, brightest on the head and
neck, where it is buff. Four narrow black lines run along the back of the neck and down the centre of the back. Under
parts white, and, with the sides, are spotted with brownish black, the spots being very large upon the breast and belly.
rather minute upon the sides and hind quarters. A brownish black bar erosses the upper part of the throat, Two narrow
black lines on the checks. Ears behind black, with the central portion yellowish white. Tail dark
and inegularly ringed near the tip with brownish black. Length of skin from nose to root of til 29 inches, tail 9,
appears to be a redlsh style of F.riverrina
The skull of wverrna ix long and narrow, the upper outline when viewed in profile curving but slightly. The face ix
short, and nearly on a level with the forehead. The nasals are very long and narrow, pointed and slightly depres
heir articulation with the frontals. Maxila very broad, the processes extending beyond the nasals, and somewhat oud
‘he premaxilas are broad, and extend about one third the length of the nasals. Orbits complete. Interorbital space
P © e P ?
narrow. Brain-ease full and oblong in form, with a fanly developed crest or ridge. Auditory bulle very large. Lower
outline of inferior ramus perfectly straight from symphysis to angle, Canines rather large and strong, and the molar series
well developed |