India, and Malacca, and that they all varied in size, length of tail, colour and size of spots, and tint of fur. The colour of
the Formosan animal is much livelier, and the spots more distinct; and the skin is much sought after by the Chinese to
make cuffs and collars for their coats. From this cause the creature 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 from 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 th em ; but some of their number having fallen
victims to the ferocity of the Tigers (?), the animals were pursued and soon dispatched by their javelins. The hill where
this introduction took place was christened and still hears the name of the Great-Cat Hill.” This Cat has a certain
resemblance to some of the Viverra; and Mr. Hodgson thinks it is affined to that group, from the form of its face, and also
to the Lynxes by the shortness of its tail, which extends but little below the os calcis. But, as stated by Fraser, it has no
further resemblance to either, as its ears are short and devoid of tufts, the body full, and the limbs strong and of medium
length. The intestinal canal is more than three times the length of the body.
Fur short, coarse. General colour dark grey (darkest on back), thickly covered with dark brown spots, smallest and least
conspicuous upon the shoulders. Head and back have three or four dark brown lines going lengthwise, which, however,
upon the lower back and rump become broken up into spots like those on the flanks and other parts. Two blackish brown
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 crossed by three or four blackish brown lines
passing from shoulder to shoulder. Belly same colour as flanks, spotted with blackish brown in continuous hues crosswise.
Inside of legs greyish white, with from two to three dark brown bars crossing the upper part near the body. Tail rather
short, slender, same colour as the back, barred on top with chestnut-brown, the bars going diagonally, and meeting in the
centre, forming a V-shaped mark; tip chestnut-brown. Underneath greyish white. Length from nose to root of tail
about 30 inches, tail 9.
A specimen of this species in the Paris Museum from Cochin China is of a 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. Underparts
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 crosses the upper part of the throat. Two narrow
black lines on the cheeks. Ears behind black, with the central portion yellowish white. Tail dark grey, spotted on top,
and irregularly ringed near the tip with brownish black. Length of skin from nose to root of tail 29 inches, tail 9. This
appears to be a reddish style of F. viverrina.
The skull of F. viverrina is long and narrow, the upper outline when viewed in profile curving but slightly. The face is
short, and nearly on a level with the forehead. The nasals’are very long and narrow, pointed and slightly depressed at
their articulation with the frontals. Maxilla very broad, the processes extending beyond the nasals, and somewhat rounded.
The premaxillas are broad, and extend about one third the length of the nasals. Orbits complete. Interorbital space
narrow. Brain-case full and oblong in form, with a fairly developed crest or ridge. Auditory bullae very large. Lower
outline of inferior ramus perfectly straight from symphysis to angle. Canines rather large and strong, and the molar series
well developed.