Page:Charles Catton, Animals (1788).pdf/13



animal, in the general outline, reembles the common dometic cat; its colour is beautiful, its hape more lender, and ize coniderably larger, generally between two and three feet from the noe to the bae of the tail—the fur of a bright cinnamon colour, is beautifully variegated with dark tripes and pots, the former along the back and flanks, the latter mark the breat and legs; the tail, which is rather hort, is alo treaked; the head reembles that of the common cat, the ears are hort. The Tiger Cat poees great activity and vigilance; is indefatigable in puruit, and bold in attacking, but fearful of man; preys on heep, calves, and various kinds of game. Hernandez, in his Hitory of Mexico, reports of the cunning and craft of this animal, that it will ometimes lay itelf out along the branch of a tree, as if dead; thus exciting the curioity of the monkey, whoe approach is quickly followed by death. This animal is a native of America, particularly the outhern parts; is met with in great plenty about the Cape of Good Hope; is frequently called the Mountain Cat, and by Mr. Buffon the Ocelot. They inhabit both the mountains and woods.