146 Field Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. i. 



based. No two skulls are exactly alike, but, while they have a 

 general structure and shape, there is endless individual variation. 

 Leopards make their dens in caves in the sides of high rocky 

 cliffs, and their hoarse cough can often be heard during the days. 

 Like all cats they prefer to commit their depredations at night, 

 although on several occasions we met them hunting in the day- 

 time. They doubtless kill many of the young of various species 

 of antelope, and of the Wart-Hog. for leopards are very fond of 

 pork. We surprised one just at dusk, stalking a herd of orj'x 

 among which were a number of young ones about half grown, 

 and on observing us, he made the best time through the bush of 

 any animal we met with in the country. His bounds were 

 prodigious, and as he had a good start we could not overtake 

 him on our horses before he managed to disappear in the bush. 

 Many sheep and goats of the natives are carried away bv this 

 bold robber, and, it is said, young children also are killed by it 

 when it steals into the villages and even huts at night. 



CYXAILURUS JUBATUS. 



Cynailurus jubatus (Schreib). 



Cynailurus jubatus. The Cheetah. Native name Shabel. 



a. 5 ad. Golis Range near Berbera. 



b. 9 ad. Golis Range near Berbera. 



The natives do not seem to have two names for the Leopard 

 and Cheetah, although I think they recognize them as distinct 

 species. The young are so much alike that it is not to be won- 

 dered that they consider them all the same, and some young 

 Cheetahs we" had alive were considered by all m}- men to be only 

 the ordinary Leopards. We never met with this species, except 

 perhaps on one occasion, in Ogaden, w^here an animal was seen 

 running at a considerable distance from us, and was first thought 

 to be a wild dog {Lycaon pictus), but afterwards we came to the 

 conclusion that it must have been a Cheetah. I bought some 

 fine skins from the natives, some of which were said to have 

 been killed in the Golis Range, not many miles from Berbera. 

 The skins I obtained were of the usual style in color and mark- 

 ings, and of course, being in a very hot country, the coats were 

 rather thin, which would not be the case if the animals inhabited 

 elevated districts, with cold temperature, as witness the so-called 

 Ft'lis lauca Sclater, which, though dwelling in South Africa, pos- 

 sesses a heavN'coat to protect it from the cold of the lofty country- 

 it inhabits. The same effect upon the quality of the coat pro- 



