THE SERVAL.[36]
The Serval, or African Tiger-Cat, is found over the greater part of Africa, being specially abundant in the south, but extending also as far north as Algeria. It especially frequents the extensive grassy plains or steppes, where it lives upon Antelopes and other game.
Its legs are proportionally much longer and the tail much shorter than those of most of the trueCats, in which respects it approaches the Lynxes. It is distinguished from these, however, by the absence of tufts of hair on the ears. The body is about forty inches in length, the tail about sixteen inches. This, it will be seen, by a comparison with the dimensions given of the preceding kinds, shows a much smaller proportion between the tail and the body than in most of the true Cats, but the appendage is never as short as in a Lynx. The ground-colour of the skin is tawny, lighter or darker according to circumstances, and spotted with black. The spots on the flank are all elongated longitudinally, and, along the back, run into distinct bands which are continued on to the forehead. This running together of spots into longitudinal stripes is very common in the Cat tribe. The tail is regularly ringed with black. The fur, although coarse, is handsome, and much used.
EYRA.
EYRA.