In the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ for 1877, p. 704, I have given the result of an examination of nineteen
specimens of this Cat, from various localities between Honduras on the north and Paraguay on the south, contained in the
collection of the British Museum. Among these specimens the tails were of all lengths, irrespective of locality, decorated
with complete or broken rings, or even spots, of various shades and colours, and no two alike, though certain ones from
distant localities resembled each other more closely than did those having the same habitat. The markings of the bodies
were of all patterns, with every shape and size of spot, some solidly black, others with light centres and black edges, either
scattered about or coalescing and forming stripes, exhibiting no regularity, and no two examples alike. In the colour of
the fur, also, all hues of grey and buff were visible. The skulls of these specimens were equally far from agreeing, and
were very variable, the differences, however, being mainly in sipe, but yielding no reliable characters by which more
than one species could he established. The conclusion was evident therefore, that there was but one species of the Margay,
and that the many described forms exhibited merely the different variations (individual ones) which existed among the
widely distributed members of a changeable species.
The geographical range of the Margay is very great, extending from Honduras in the north, through South America as
far south as Paraguay.
Azara had excellent opportunities for observing this animal in its wild state as well as in confinement; and in his
• Natural History of the Quadrupeds of Paraguay ’ he has given rather full accounts of its habits under both conditions of
existence. I t is apparently known by the name of “ Chibiguazus,” and is very common, Azara endeavours to recognize
two species as F. mitis and F. tigrina, and considers the latter animal rare (indeed he is not certain if it is found) in Paraguay,
but was told that it lived on the wooded islands to the south of the river La Plata. He only met with one individual, a
female, on the frontier near Brazil in latitude 321% but was assured it was adult, and only differed from the male in being
smaller, that it dwelt in woods and thickets, ascended trees with facility, brought forth one or two young, was easily
domesticated, and subsisted on birds, operais or guinea-pigs, rats, &c. A certain person related to him that, having once
seen one of these animals in a tree, he wished to throw a lasso on it from his horse, but that the “ Nibaracaya,” as he
called it, leaped down and dung tightly to the neck of the horse, causing him to plunge, so that the rider was thrown-
Undei the name of P. »«'¡is, Azara gives a much fuller account of this Cat. He states that it is quite common, but
conceals itself so well that neither huntsmen nor dogs ever meet with it. During the day it remains in the most
impenetrable retreats, and goes forth at night to hunt, but, should it he stormy, enters boldly into the corrals and courtyards
in search of prey. On moonlight nights this animal never enters inhabited places, nor falls into trap s; and at such a time it
is useless to watch for it. In search of domestic fowls it will climb trees, and will carry off as many as six in a night,
besides leaving several dead ones behind. Human beings and dogs are carefully avoided at all times. Generally only a
male and a female are found in one district, and only two young are bom at a time. In captivity this Cat becomes quite
tame; and a friend of Azara’s had once as many as fourteen confined together in a den he had made for them. They
passed the greater part of the day rolled up like a ball; and when any individual desired to stretch himself he first licked
the one lying by his side. Straw placed in this den was cut up into small pieces by them and then used for a bed; and all
twigs and sticks were treated in the same manner. The twilight and night were passed in walking to and fro close to the
sides of the den. The different individuals lived peaceably together, rarely quarrelling; but when any disputes arose they
merely struck at each other with their fore paws. They were fed with live fowls, ducks, rats, young dogs, and cats. These
last they would seize with their mouth by the nape of the neck, and, throwing them on the ground, would accurately
overlay them (not permitting them to stir) until they were dead. The flesh of cats did not agree with them, but gave
them the itch, and caused them to mew, and finally killed them. Beptiles, such as frogs and toads, caused vomiting, so
that they wasted to mere skeletons and died. Birds were caught by the head, and completely stripped of their feathers
before they were eaten. In their actions they resembled exactly the domestic c a t; and at night their eyes shone like those
of that animal. The largest male seen by Azara weighed thirty-five pounds. Average length 3 feet 6 inches. One
measured 4 feet in length; tail 13 inches.
Molina, in his work on the Natural History of Chili, when describing his F. guigna, states that it seems to be a variety
of the Margay; and from the description it would appear that he had a specimen of the F. tigrina before him.
The following descriptions will give an idea of the different variations of this Cat. The first may be considered the
typical style:—
Fur soft, not long. General colour light rufous-brown. Four narrow brownish-black lines, two from between and two
from the comer of the eyes, pass over the top of the head and to the base of the neck, where they become broader
and black. A line of white between the nose and eyes. Two narrow brown lines cross the cheek from the eyes, and
meet another broader irregular dark brown line passing across the side of the throat under the jaw. Cheek, throat, breast,
and belly have their ground-colour white. . The entire body, back, sides, and belly thickly covered with round brownish-
black spots, forming lines on the back. The breast is crossed by four or five irregular brownish-black lines. Legs spotted
like the back, the spots reaching nearly to the feet on the fore legs, but only to the knees on the hind ones. Tail long,
covered with blackish spots like the body, and inclining to rings near the tip ; the ground-colour rufous like the body.
Back of ears rufous, black on outer edge. Entire length 24 inches, tail 11.
Another specimen is greyish, with very large brown spots on the flanks, the lines on the head and breast are black, and
there is none of the rufous colouring observed on the specimen described above.
A third specimen differs, again, in being yellowish brown on the body, covered with rather elongated blackish spots,
bars on breast black. All three specimens are in the British-Museum collection.
A fourth example has the fur soft and short; head, back, shoulders, flanks, and loins grey, darkest and inclined to
rufous on the back and hind part of neck, covered with lines and irregular broken black spots, many with light centres.
The shoulders have lines, the loins spots of black; flanks covered with irregular black rings with rufous centres. Cheeks,
chin, throat, breast, and belly pure white. The usual two black lines across the cheeks, and the single one on the lower
part of the throat. Two irregular broken lines across the breast, not very distinct. Belly spotted with black. Back of
ears black, with a white spot near the upper outside edge. Tail long, with eight or nine black bars becoming wider as
they near the tip ; the ground-colour like the body.
A fifth specimen has the general colour rich reddish buff, darkest along the back. The usual narrow black lines along
the top of head, which become quite broad and broken upon the shoulders and back. Shoulders, flanks, and loins thickly
covered with black spots, which decrease in size towards the lower parts of the legs. Cheek, throat, breast, belly, and
inside of legs pure white; the first having two black lines crossing it from the eye to beneath the ear. Throat and breast
crossed by five or six black lines. Belly spotted with blackish brown, as is also the inside of the legs; two black bars
cross the last near the body. Lips white. Ears behind black, with a white spot near the outer edge. Tail very long,
same colour as. the back, becoming paler towards the tip, semi-ringed with blackish brown; underneath yellowish white.
This is the F. macroura style. Both of the last two specimens described are in the Paris Museum.
An example in the British Museum, instead of having the spots of the body solid and black, has irregular blackish
rings with dark rufous centres, the size of these being twice that of those in other specimens. A second, also in the
British Museum, has the spots uniform black and rather small. Entire length 30 inches, tail 15.
The skull of F. tigrina is long; the face on a level with the forehead; nasals broad for their length, narrowing rapidly
to their frontal articulation, the ends almost pointed. Orbits incomplete. Brain-case full and wide, though evenly rounded
and oblong in shape. Malar bones deep, and forming with the zygoma an almost quadrilateral opening. Auditory
bullee large and swollen, narrowing anteriorly. Nasal apertures oblong in shape. Infraorbital foramina oblong. Size of
canines moderate.