lie may be said to differ from himself. I t is not surprising therefore to find, when these animals were but little known,
that each one varying in any degree from other examples was deemed to represent a distinct species; indeed it may be
considered a fortunate circumstance that every Ocelot does not at the present time bear a separate name. Only when a
large series of this species has been obtained can it be fully realized how wonderfully individuals vary in the style and
coloration of their fur from each other, and with what facility a species can be manufactured by any one who is willing
simply to ignore all intermediate styles, and select some outre specimen as his type. With the exception of those given by
Fitzinger, and which I believe were all or nearly all named from the writings of other authors, and not from the actual
specimens themselves, I have examined almost all the types of the so-called species of Ocelot. The British Museum
contains a fair assortment of these, being chiefly those named by the late Dr. Gray. Some of them, however, he was
not altogether satisfied with himself, as he states in his ‘ Catalogue of Carnivorous Mammalia,’ p. 20, that “ the Ocelots are
extremely variable; and though there is a very large series of specimens in the British Museum, I cannot make up my
mind whether they are all one, or whether there are three or more species.” An examination of the skulls gave him no
assistance in deciding the question; for he remarks, on the same page, that those of F. pardalis, F. gnsea, and F. melanura
(all of which he recognized as distinct species, and one of which he described) “ are very similar in size, shape, and structure.
The nasal bones vary in shape: in some skulls they are short, broad, and gradually attenuated; in others the nasal bones are
longer, very broad in front, and then suddenly narrowed at about half their length. But the different skulls vary in this
respect; and the two fo rm gradually pass into each other." (The italics are mine.) This is the frank statement of a naturalist
who has perhaps recognized more species in this family than any one else. Of his Leopardus pictus, referred by me to the
present species, he says that it has the “ spots very different from those of any other specimen in the collection; but this is
such a difference as one may expect to find only a variation when one examines a large series of specimens.” Very
frequently the spots observed in the markings of this species are seen in certain individuals to be lengthened, and coalesce,
forming irregular stripes, making a very handsome pattern.
A very dark-coloured individual was called by Mr. Ball Felis melanura, and described by him in the ‘ Proceedings of the
Zoological Society of London.’ I t lived for some time in the menagerie; and a figure is given of it by Fraser in his
Zoologia Typica. That it exhibited merely an unusual style of colouring, and was not a distinct species, may be shown
from the fact that it did not retain the same style of markings during the period it was an inmate of the Gardens; for-
Mr. Fraser says (in the work above referred to) that “ since the animal first arrived in this country some trifling change has
taken place, particularly in the extension of the white on the tail, which makes the name not quite so applicable as it was."
The italics are my own; but the fact here stated shows that the chief characteristic of the animal, separating it from
F. pardalis, was an unreliable o n e ; and possibly, if the individual had lived, the peculiar coloration of its fur might
have changed to something very different from that it possessed at its death.
The Felis albescens of Pucheran is represented in the gallery of the Paris Museum by three specimens, which are «.likp.
neither in size nor colour, nor in the arrangement of their markings. One is as large as the largest of the specimens of
F. pardalis usually met with; the second is of a medium size, while the third is about equal to the variety that has been called
F. mitis. The largest is the lightest in colour, the medium one darkest. They are all light grey, strongly marked with black
in broken rings and lines; but the patterns do not in the least resemble one another. I do not see any reason to look upon
them as distinct from F. pardalis, but merely as representing a peculiar light-coloured style of this most changeable species.
Individuals are found of F. pardalis of all sizes, from that which nearly approaches a small Leopard in power to
one not much larger than the European wild Cat, perhaps in some cases even smaller than that animal. I can give no
reason for these great differences, other than possibly climate and food; but, as we might naturally expect would be the
case, the smallest specimens are, I believe, generally found near the equator, the animals becoming larger as we go
northward and southward.
From the facts related above it will be seen how slender and unreliable are the characters upon which the different
so-called species of Ocelots have been established. From the investigation of a very large series of these animals contained
in various museums I have not been able to find one specimen that seemed entitled to a specific rank distinct from
F. pardalis; but all more or less exhibited markings that approached some other variety. The skulls also show great
variations of form and measurements; and I think it would be impossible to find two that in all respects exactly
resemble each other.
F E L I S P A R D A L I S .
The Ocelot is found from Arkansas, through Texas, Mexico, Central America, the northern part of South America, and
southwards to Buenos Ayres; I do not know that it has been met with west of the Andes. According to Mr. Schott, who
was with the survey of the United-States and Mexican boundary, this species, although very common in the western wilds,
was only seen once on the lower Rio Bravo. I t took refuge from the dogs in a tree, but was dislodged by a pistol-bullet,
and soon dispatched. All the inside of the skin of this creature was covered with opuntia-prickles, which had worked
themselves in, and were all lodged horizontally, so that the points did not reach the muscles, and probably gave but little
uneasiness to the animal. This accounted for the readiness with which this species takes refuge in these bushes, which are
unapproachable for man. The Ocelot is eagerly sought for on account of his beautiful fur; and almost every western hunter,
both among the whites and Indians, has some portion of his outfit adorned with, or made out of, the skin. This species is
possessed of great activity, runs on the ground with considerable speed, and ascends trees with great ease and agility, and is
said to conceal itself in the hollows of the trunks, or by squatting close along the large branches. It is rarely found at
any distance from woods or thickets, and preys upon the smaller quadrupeds, birds, and eggs. It occasionally visits the
poultry-yard, and carries away a chicken, and, if pursued, always ascends a tree when hard pressed. Audubon and Bachman
state that they were informed the Ocelot only has two young in a litter, but were unable to prove the fact themselves.
They also say that they had heard of its occurring in the southern parts of Louisiana, though I should be inclined to think
it more likely the animal seen there would be the wild cat (Felis rufa). This species bears confinement well; but if more
than one are kept in the same cage their fierce tempers do not permit them to dwell peaceably together for any length of
time, and usually the weaker is dispatched, the slayer sometimes making a meal off his victim. When, however, it is fed
upon milk and vegetable food instead of flesh, the Ocelot is much gentler in captivity, and at times evinces a certain
amount of fondness for its master or any one who regularly feeds it. Wilson had one, which became very tame ; and he
gives an account of it in his ‘Illustrations of Zoology.’ She was playful, and delighted in being carried about in somebody’s
arms. She was also very powerful, and, although gentle, occasionally gave evidence that her natural fierce disposition
was not entirely eradicated; for once she seized a glove of chamois leather, and, although the owner endeavoured with all
his strength to get it away, the animal succeeded in tearing it in pieces and swallowing it. When live birds or raw flesh
was given her she immediately assumed greater fierceness in her aspect, and struck spitefully with her fore paws at any
passing animal. Once she sprang upon a child about four years old, threw her down, and apparently seized her by the
throat. I t was, however, only rough play, as the little girl was rescued uninjured, though terribly frightened; but it is
quite evident that the Ocelot is not the best kind of animal to be received into the house as a pet.
A very interesting account is given by Dr. Wilson in the ‘Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy’ (I. c.) of a young
Ocelot that he had once on board the U.S. ship ‘Vandalia.’ Its colour was light grey, marked with dark rings and spots,
probably the grisea style of this species. The ship was terribly infested with rats; and one having been caught was
presented to “Miss Tiger,” as she was- called, who pounced upon it at once with great fierceness, and walked about
growling, very proud of her prize. She then played with it as a cat would, tossing it about, and rolling over with it in her
paws. She eventually became a most expert rat-catcher, and frequently pounced upon her prey from long distances,
sometimes as much as 10 feet being covered in one leap, and generally killed the rat sp quickly that it was not heard to
squeal. This Ocelot was so gentle that she allowed herself to be picked up by anybody, and even when feeding never
would bite or scratch. She was fond of being handled, and when rubbed would roll over onto her back, and take
the person’s fingers into her mouth, but very gently, so as not to wound them. She liked a warm sleeping-place, and
used to visit the hammocks of the men, and, if encouraged, would lie down either by the breast or at the feet of her
bed-fellow. Once it was noticed that a large tumour and abscess had formed on the side of her face, which proved to be
due to one of the milk-teeth; and she made no resistance when one of the officers took her into his lap, and the doctor
drew the tooth with a pair of forceps. She delighted in going up the rigging; and when the men were ordered aloft she
would jump into the shrouds and have a race with them, and with but little effort was first in the top. As the ship was
passing the West-India Islands a number of flocks of flyingfish were started; and Miss Tiger became much interested in
them, they looked so like birds; and she was observed watching them in the moonlight very intently. Next morning her
absence was noticed, and a fruitless search for her through the ship made it certain that she had been lost overboard during
the night.
Fur soft and short. Top of head, neck, shoulders, and back rufous, marked with black lines and spots, some of the latter