206 WILD LIl-K IN CHINA 



In size the leopard has been found to attain a length of 

 8 ft. 4 in. That is believed to be the largest on record, and 

 was shot in the Cooch Behar territory. Another mentioned 

 in Cassell's "Natural History" was 7 ft. 6 in. and stood 2ft. 7 in. 

 at the shoulder. Notwithstanding its size and weight, which- 

 reaches 150 lb., the leopard climbs like a cat, running up 

 straight boles covered with smooth bark without the slightest 

 difficulty. This gives him an immense natural advantage 

 over the tiger, which never climbs except perhaps along a 

 sloping trunk, or by leaping into a low-lying fork-. With such 

 strength as the leopard must have to enable it to climb so 

 easily, it is easy to believe in the many tales of its marvellous 

 agility. This makes the animal all the more dangerous, 

 especially when he takes to finding his living in the neigh- 

 bourhood of man, for though he rarely turns man-eater, he 

 is terribly destructive to domestic animals, especially to 

 dogs, which seem to offer an irresistible temptation. Travel- 

 lers both in Asia and Africa have many tales to tell of the 

 audacity of the leopard when stalking his favourite prey.. 

 He has been known to snatch pet dogs from before the verj- 

 eyes of their masters and mistresses at hill-stations in India. 

 He has been lured into a trap baited with a dog when the 

 trap was within a few feet of the hunter's tent. Besides this, he 

 is of quicker temper than the tiger, more easily roused to 

 anger, and more daring when roused. Notwithstanding his 

 cunning in other respects, however, he is easily trapped, and 

 in all probability the skins which we frequently see in 

 Shanghai are thus obtained. 



Like the tiger, the leopard first seizes the throat of the 

 animal it takes, holding on there with its teeth whilst its 

 claws sink deep into the shoulders or the base of the neck. Its 

 object is precisely the same as in that of the tiger, the snap- 

 ping of the vertebrae of the neck. Failing this, the hold is 

 kept till with loss of blood life ebbs away. Feasting on the 

 carcase is not begun at the hind quarters as in the case of 

 the tiger, but with the internal organs, to get at which the 

 abdomen is ripped up. The leopard can swim well if put to it, 

 but he has not that liking for water that is characteristic of the 

 tiger, and may hence be found in very arid districts at times. 



The snow leopard (Felis uncial, also known as the 

 ounce, is, so far as I know, found in the Chinese Empire 

 only on the Himalayan border of Tibet. It is possible, 

 however, that when the exploring parties which we hope for 

 have gone on their journeys of discovery, this beautiful 

 animal may be found on other ranges farther north. He 

 runs, when adult, from 6 ft. to 7 ft. 4 in. in length, and such is 

 his beauty and rarity that Indian sportsmen have given him 

 the place amongst the gres^ter felidae which British sports- 



