zoologist's CALENDAR FOR APRIL. 127 



Our Correspondent observes, " M. Temminck, M. Lesson, 

 and the translators of the RZgne Animal agree that the coat 

 of the leopard is of a lighter shade of tawny, and a greater 

 quantity of the ground colour is visible, than in the panther ; 

 in the former also the black rings are more broken, giving the 

 animal a somewhat dotted appearance. The panther, on the 

 contrary, has less of the ground colour visible, a deeper shade 

 of tawny, the rings more closely approximated and much less 

 broken. Indeed in some specimens I have seen from the same 

 localities with the more common kind, the crowding of the 

 black rings and the darkness of the tawny have given the 

 skins a blackish hue. But with respect to the above general 

 characters, I can testify that they are sufficiently unvarying 

 to be good specific guides. I may add that the leopard, al- 

 though taller, is comparatively less bulky than the panther, 

 stands higher on its legs, and has them less robust ; the chest 

 is deeper and narrower, and the loins proportionally smaller." 

 With this testimony as to the validity of the specific distinc- 

 tion afforded by the outward markings of the skin we should 

 have gladly received a confirmation also of the remarkable 

 character pointed out by M. Temminck as existing in the 

 comparative length and the number of the bones of the tail. 

 Perhaps our valued correspondent would enable us to add 

 his observations on this particular to the remainder of his 

 present communication, in a future Number. We thank him 

 for his good wishes, and shall avail ourselves of his sugges- 

 tions. — Ed. 



ZOOLOGIST S CALENDAR FOR APRIL. 



As the genial season approaches, the animal world seems in- 

 vigorated with new life ; additional species daily crowd upon 

 our observation, and the work of creation is, as it were, per- 

 formed anew. 



To enumerate every varied form of bird and insect that 

 successively presents itself would extend this catalogue to a 

 tedious length, and be little more than a repetition of what 

 has been already given in other works. We shall therefore 

 confine our notice to a few of the more interesting objects 

 that now claim the attention of the naturalist. 



This month affords the best opportunities for distinguish- 

 ing the short- winged summer birds before the trees have put 

 on their full summer foliage, and prior to the commencement 

 of the breeding season. Their arrival, however, is consider- 



