Part 11

F. vellere longissimo, flavescenti-griseo, fasciis flavescenti-fuscis indistinctè et sublongitudinalitèr notato; pedibus annulis latis nigris; abdomine maculis magnis nigris; mento albo; caudâ brevi; auribus mediocribus, ad apicem externum nigris.

DESCRIPTION.—The Pampas cat is about equal in size to the common wild cat of Europe (Felis Catus, Linn.). It is however of a stouter form than that animal, the head is smaller, and the tail is shorter.

The most remarkable character in this species consists in the great length of the fur,—the longer hairs on the back measuring upwards of three inches, and those on the hinder part of the back, are from four and a half, to four and three quarter inches in length. The general colour of the fur is pale yellow-gray. Numerous irregular yellow, or sometimes brown stripes run in an oblique manner from the back along the sides of the body. On each side of the face there are two stripes of a yellowish or cinnamon colour: these stripes commence near the eye, extend backwards and downwards over the cheeks, on the hinder part of which they join and form a single line, which encircles the lower part of the throat. The tip of the muzzle and the chin are white, and there is a spot in front of the eye, and a line beneath the eye, of the same colour: the belly and the inner side and hinder part of the fore legs are also white. An irregular black line runs across the lower part of the chest and extends over the base of the fore legs externally, and above this line there are two other transverse dark markings on the chest, which are more or less defined. On the fore legs there are three broad black bands, two of which encircle the leg, and on the posterior legs there are about five black bands externally, and some irregular dark spots internally. The feet are yellowish, and the underside of the tarsus is of a slightly deeper hue. On the belly there are numerous large irregular black spots. The ears are of moderate size, furnished internally with long white hairs; externally, the ears are of the same colour as the head, excepting at the apex where the hairs are black and form a slight tuft. The tail is short, somewhat bushy, and devoid of dark rings or spots—the hairs are in fact coloured as those of the back of the animal. On the upper part of the body each hair is brown at the base, then yellow, and at the apex, black. On the hinder part of the back the hairs are almost black at the base, and on the sides of the body each hair is gray at the base; there is then a considerable space of yellowish white colour; towards the apex they are white, and at the apex black. The greater number of the hairs of the moustaches are white.

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 26 0 to base of ear 3 6 of tail (fur included) 11 0 of ear 1 11 Height of body at shoulders 13 0

Habitat, Santa Cruz, Patagonia, (April,) and Bahia Blanca, (August).

The markings in this animal vary slightly in intensity; those on the body are generally indistinct, but the black rings on the legs are always very conspicuous.

“This animal takes its name from ‘paja,’ the Spanish word for straw, from its habit of frequenting reeds. It is common over the whole of the great plains, which compose the eastern side of the southern part of America. According to Azara, it extends northward as far as latitude 30°, and to the south, I have reason to believe, from the accounts I have received, that it is found near the Strait of Magellan, which would give it a range of nearly 1400 miles, in a north and south line. One of my specimens was obtained, in 50° south, at Santa Cruz: it was met with in a valley, where a few thickets were growing. When disturbed, it did not run away, but drew itself up, and hissed. My other specimen was half-grown, and was killed in the end of August, at Bahia Blanca.”—D.

3. FELIS DOMESTICA.

Felis domestica, Brisson, Reg. Anim. p. 264.

I find in Mr. Darwin’s collection a cat, the colouring and proportions of which, convince me that its origin is from the domestic cat, as however it was shot in a wild state far from any house, a description may, perhaps, prove useful. Its general colour is deep gray, and the body is adorned with numerous irregular narrow black bands; there is a broad black mark, formed of confluent spots, along the middle of the back, which commences a little behind the shoulders; a considerable space around the angles of the mouth, the chin, throat, central portion of the chest, fore feet, toes of the hinder feet, and the posterior portion of the belly, are white; a black line extends backwards from the posterior angle of the eye, on to the cheeks; thence, across the throat, there are two lines: the space between the eye is chiefly occupied with white hairs: the tail is slender, and tapers towards the apex; the basal half is gray with black rings, and the apical half is black, excepting the extreme point, which is white: the tarsus is black beneath: the legs are of a deep gray colour, banded with black externally.

To the dimensions I will add those of a domestic cat which in colour and markings very closely resembles the animal above described. I may add that I have chosen a cat rather above the ordinary size for my comparison, yet it will be seen that the wild cat has the advantage in bulk.

Wild Cat. Domestic Cat. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 22 0 19 0 of tail 12 3 11 6 of tarsus 5 1 4 7 of ear 1 11 Height at shoulders 11 3

Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (May.)

“This animal was killed amongst some thickets on a rocky hill a few miles from Maldonado. It appeared, when dead, much larger and stronger than any domestic cat I ever saw, and it was described to me as having been exceedingly fierce. I mention this because M. Temminck supposes that the domesticated varieties of all animals are of larger size, than the wild stock from which they are descended.”—D.

GALLICTIS VITTATA.

Gallictis vittata, Bell, Zoological Journal, vol. ii. p. 551–2.

——, „ Proceedings of the Zoological Society, for April, 1837, p. 39.

Gulo vittatus, Desmarest, Mamm. p. 175.

“This animal is not uncommon at Maldonado, where it is called “Huron” or thief, from the ravages it commits on eggs and poultry. Shortly after being killed this specimen weighed 1 lb. 8 oz. (Imp. weight).”—D.

1. LUTRA PLATENSIS.

L. vellere nitido, adpresso, intensè fusco; corpore subtùs pallidiore; gutture ad latera, et subtùs, pallidè fusco; mento rostrique apice sordidè flavescenti-albis; pedibus nigrescenti-fuscis; pilis caudæ supernè brevioribus, adpressis, illis ad caudæ latera longioribus et fimbriam efficientibus.

DESCRIPTION.—This Otter is about equal in size to the common European species (Lutra vulgaris, Auct.): its fur is short, glossy, and adpressed; the under fur is tolerably abundant and of a silky nature. The general colouring of the ordinary fur is deep brown, and that of the under fur is very pale brown, deeper externally. The tint of the under parts of the body is paler than the upper, and may be described as brown, that of the throat, sides and under part of the neck, pale brown; and, on the tip of the muzzle and chin, dirty yellowish white. The hairs of the moustaches are brownish-white; the ears are covered with short deep brown hairs, those towards the tip are paler. The hairs covering the feet above are short, and of a very deep brown colour. The tail is tolerably long, thick at the base, whence it gradually tapers to the apex. The hairs on the base of the tail resemble those of the body, but on the remaining portion, they are short, glossy, and very closely applied to the skin both on the upper and under surface, whereas those on the sides are longer, and form a kind of fringe. The tip of the muzzle and the soles of the feet are naked, with the exception of the hinder half of the tarsus.

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 28 0 of tail 18 0

Habitat, La Plata, (July.)

The La Plata Otter in its general colouring is of a somewhat deeper hue than the European species, the cheeks and throat instead of being nearly white are of a pale brown colour; the tail is longer in proportion, and tapers more gradually; the tip of the muzzle is naked, but the hairless portion is less than in that species, the boundary line between the naked part and the hair of the top of the muzzle forming almost a semicircle; the retiring extremities of this line touch the posterior angle of the nostril on each side, whereas in the common otter the boundary line of the hair of the muzzle is of a ｗ-like form. The skull is figured in Plate 35, figs. 4, a, b, c, and d, and is compared with that of L. Chilensis in the next description.

“This specimen was killed by some fishermen a few miles from Maldonado, near the mouth of the estuary of the Plata, where the water is quite salt. I am not, however, by any means sure that it may not be a fresh-water species, which had wandered from its proper station; in the same manner as not unfrequently is the case with the Hydrochærus Capybara. I am indebted to Mr. Chaffers, the master of the Beagle, for having kindly presented me with this specimen.”—D.

2. LUTRA CHILENSIS.

Lutra Chilensis, Bennett, Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London for 1832, p. 1.