J .Wolf. & J .Sm i I, del & lilh .
FELIS SHAWIANA.
SH AW ’S GAT.
FBLIS SHAWIANA, W. Blanf. Jonm. Asiat. Soc. Bbng. ¡(1876) vol. xhr. p t 2, p. .19.—Id. Scient. Bes. Second Yart. Miss., Mamro. flS 7 9 )
p. 17, pis. i. b, i. e.
Molun, Turki o f Yàrkand.
II a b . Ydrkand, Eastern Turkestan.
T h i s apparently new species of Felis was described by Mr. Blanford [ t J l from speeimens brought from YArkand by
Dr. Scully and Mr. Shaw. Previously Dr. Stohczka had brought from Eastern Turkestan an imperfect skin, which
Mr. Blanford hesitated to describe at the time, although believing it belonged to an unknown form. None of
the specimens were perfect, but Mr. Shaw’s only wanted the paws, and the entire skeleton was preserved. Its
nearest ally seems to be F. caudata, Gray, but it differs from that species, in having a shorter tail, and in being
more spotted. It is stated to be common on the plains of Eastern Turkestan around KAshghar and YArkand.
Mr. Blanford’s description of this Cat is as follows:—
“ General colour pale greyish fulvous above, the back rather darker than the sides, underparts white ; the body
marked throughout with rather small black spots, which are largest on the abdomen, smaller and closer together on
the shoulders and thighs, tending to form cross lines on the latter, and indistinct on the middle of the back; anterior
portion of the face and muzzle whitish, cheek-stripes of rusty red and black hairs mixed. Ears rather more rufous
outside, especially towards the tip, which is blackish brown and pointed, the hairs at the end scarcely lengthened; interior
of ears white. There are some faint rufous spots at the sides of the .neck. Breast very faintly rufous with one narrow
brownish band across. Inner side of limbs mostly white, a black band inside the forearm, and a very black spot
behind the tarsus. Apparently there are two black bands inside the thigh; but the limbs are ill preserved in all the
specimens. Tail dusky above near the base, with 5 or 6 black bars above on the posterior half, none below, the
dark bars closed together toward the tip. Fur soft, moderately long, purplish grey toward the base.
“ The size appears rather to excel that of a Domestic Cat, and to equal that of F. cliaus. The tail apparently is about
half the length of the body without the head. In the two best skins examined, the length from nose to rump is
about 25 inches, the tail 7 to 8 ; but very little dependence can be placed on such measurements. The tail-vertebrae
from the posterior end of the sacrum measure,. when put together, 8-75 inches, which would coincide with a tail-
measurement outside the body of about 7\ inches.”
Of the skull, as compared with that of F. chaus, Mr. Blanford says it is “ comparatively longer, has the nasal portion
more elongate, the face less convex, the breadth behind the postorbital processes less, whilst the processes themselves
are longer and project further.” He gives the following measurements:—Total length of skull 4-25 inches. Length
from incisors to lower edge of foramen magnum 3-67. Breadth across hinder parts of zygomatic arches 2*87. Breadth
behind postorbital processes 1-23. Least breadth of face between orbits 0-8. Length of suture between nasal bones 1.
Greatest diameter of bony orbit 1-25. Length of bony palate behind incisors I -63. Length of mandible 2-88. Height
of mandible from the angle to the top of the coronoid process 1*3.