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