Desert Cat

Plate XXII: "Distribution.- India; confined to the dry rocky districts of the north-west from Banda, through the north-west provinces to Agra, Sambar, and Sind, where the species is very common. Habits.- As its name implies, the Desert Cat is an inhabitant of open sandy districts (with the colour of which its spotted yellow coat admirably harmonizes), never resorting to forests, and being to a considerable extent diurnal in its habits. As already mentioned, it breeds freely with Domestic Cats, and is probably the parent form of the spotted breed in India."