THE CHEETAH OR HUNTING LEOPARD 

 Cynselurus jubatus, Elliot 



Somali name, Harimdt or Harimdd 



Description. — The cheetah is easily distinguished from the 

 leopard at a distance, owing to its long legs and lighter colouring. 

 The general colour is dull yellow covered all over with small 

 black spots, seldom exceeding in size a shilling piece except on the 

 hindlegs, where they may be as large as a florin. The hair on the 

 back of the neck and shoulders is coarser and thicker and resembles 

 a mane — this mane or crest of long hair is very noticeable in the 

 young. From the inner canthus of the eye to the mouth on 

 each side is a distinct black band, and a similar transverse black 

 band is found posteriorly at the bases of the ears, the tips of 

 the latter being of the general body colour. The legs are long, 

 and the feet furnished with only partially retractile claws. The 

 general colour of the young is grey, with indistinct black markings 

 but with a very noticeable woolly mane on the back and shoulders. 



Measurements in the flesh of a female shot in the Khansa 

 bush country : 



Head and body 3 ft, 4 in. 



Length of tail . . . . . . i „ 11 „ 



Height at shoulder 2 „ 2 „ 



Round body i >» 9i » 



Weight 55 lb. 



Distribution. — The cheetah is commonest in the thick bush 

 country on the edge of the Haud, although it is to be found both 

 on Guban and Ogo-Guban. 



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