F E L IS BENGALENSIS.
FELIS BENGALENSIS.
B EN G A L L EO PA R D CAT.
? BENGAL CAT, Fenn. H ist. Quad. vol. i. p. 293.
? FELIS UNDATA, Dcsm. N o w . JJtó. Hist. Nat. (1816) ™ L ri. p ..I l'5 .-B ly th , Cat. Mamm. & Birds Burma (1875) p 27 sp 56
FELIS H g » ■ ■ ■ N ouv. Mamm. (1827) p. 187. sp. 4 9 8 ,-F isck . Syu. Mamm. (1829) p. 205
f f W I M f l f M T Ï Ï M Cat. Mamm. Mus. E.-Ind. Co. (1851) p. 49. sp. 8 0 ,-B ly th , Prue. l o i . Sue
(18G3) p. 184 Jerd. Mamm. Ind. (1867), p. lOS. sp. l-ie .-M 'M a sl. Notes Jerd. Mamm. Ind. (18 7 0 ) p. 36.
FELIS NEPALENSIS, Vig. & Horsf. Zool. Jonrn. (1 8 2 9 ) vol. iv. p. 3 8 2,-Jard . Nat. Libr. yol. xvi. p. 224, pl. ym ii.-J E. Gray Proo Zool
, : . . Soc. (1 8 6 ,) pp. 274, 4 0 0 , Id. Cat. Cam. Mamm. ( 1869) p. 27. sp. 2 1 ,-I d . Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (1 8 7 4 ) m i p 66 ’
^ - - — Mamm. Brit. Mns. (18 4 2 ) p. 4 4 -H o d g s . Cat. C o ,
FELIS PARDOCHROUS, Hodg. Calo. Jonrn. Nat. Hist. yoL iy. (1844) p . 2 8 6 ,-H o r sf. Cat. Mamm. Mus. E.-Ind. Co. (1851) p 47 sp 7 6 - I d
Proc. Zool. ( I8 6 0 ) p. 3 9 0 .-J . E. Gray, Proo. Zool,Son. (1867) p. 273. %. 7, p. 4 0 0 ,-Id . Cat Cam. Mamm. (1869) p. 27. sp. 24.
FELIS (PRIONAILURUS) PARDOCHROUS, Severtz. Rev. Mag. Zool. (1858) p. 387.
FELIS TENASSERIMENSIS, J. E. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1867) p. 4 0 0 .-Id . Cat Cam. Mamm. (1869) p. 28. sp. 2 5 . - I d Ann & Mae N a t
H is t (18 7 4 ) xiii. p. 56.—Blyth, Cat. Mamm. & Birds, Banna, p. 27 (J. A. Soc/Beng. pt. ii: 1876).
FELIS WAGATI, J. E. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc.(1 8 6 7 ) p . 46 0 ,-E lIio t, Jonrn. Asiat. S o c Bsng. r o l .™ , note to p. 8 4 ,-G r a y , Cat Carn Mamm.
(1869) p. 29. sp. 28.—Id. Ann. & Mag. Nat.; H ist. (1 8 7 4 ) xiii. p. 55. *
VIVERRICEPS ELLIOTI, J. E. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1867) p. 2 6 9 ,- I d . Cat Cam. Mamm. (18 6 9 ) p. 18. s p ,S .- I d . Ann. Sc Mag. N a t Hist.
PANTHERA TORQUATA, Fitzin. Sitzgunsber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, (1868) lviii. p. 505..
PANTHERA NEPALENSIS, Fitzin. Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, (1868) lviii. p. 510.
FELIS PARDOCHROA, J. E. Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat: Hist. (1874) xiii. p. 55.
Theet-Kyoung, Arakan.
H a b . Nepal, Thibet, Daijeeling (H o b s f i e l d , under the names of pardochrmu and horsfieldi) ; Bengal (H o b s f i e l d ) ;
South-east Asia from Thibet to the great islands of the Archipelago, but perhaps not Borneo (B l y t h ).
T h i s long-siuce described and well-known species has a multitude of synonyms, arising from the feet that the various styles
of marking exhibited by individuals have been considered by authors to indicate distinct species, I hare examined nearly
(if not quite) all the types of these so-called species, and have satisfied myself that they only represent the changeable
patterns of markings that are the rule and not the exception among spotted Cats, and therefore should not be regarded
as of sufficient importance to be elevated into separate specific rank. Jerdon, who examined numbers of this species, says
that in some the markings have a “ marbled appearance, in others, they appear to be dispersed more irregularly and is in
rows, and in some the spots are much smaller than in typical specimens.” Begarding this last fact, my examination of all
spotted Cafe has proved to me that in every species there will be found individuals with spots very much larger or very
much smaller than that which may be deemed the typical style, but that when a sufficient number of examples have been
brought together it will generally be found that these extreme coses graduate, down or up, as the case may be, towards the
type. Had this constant variation among the Pehdm been understood, we should have been spared the unnecessary
descriptions of many forms, and the synonymy of the family would have been greatly lessened and benefited.
The Leopard Cat is found throughout India in the hilly regions, from the Himalayas, which it ascends to a considerable
height, through Assam, Burmah, the Malay peninsula, and the islands of Sumatra and Java. In Southern Indio, according to
Jerdon, it is abiindant in Coorg, Wynaad, and the forest-tracts along the Western Ghilts, but is rare on the east coast and in
Central India. It' is also found in Ceylon. Hodgson states that it inhabits Thibet, and in the Bengal Sunderbunds goes
down to the level of the sea. It dwells in wooded districts or in heavy grass-jungle interspersed with brushwood. Its