$2 Lloyds Natural history. 



As the result of this comparison, Dr. Anderson is led to 

 conclude that the northern Chinese Leopard, if not entitled 

 to rank as a distinct species, is at least a very well-marked 

 race. 



In conclusion, it may be mentioned as not a little remarkable, 

 that the only two skulls of this form preserved in the collection 

 of the British Museum, both, as pointed out by Mr. Bateson, 

 exhibit an abnormality in the dentition ; the one having a 

 supernumerary last molar on the left side of the upper jaw, 

 while, in the other, the last right lower pre-molar has an 

 additional cusp on its hinder border. 



Habits. — In spite of their marked difference in coloration, the 

 three great Cats of the warmer regions of the Old World, 

 namely the Lion, Tiger, and Leopard, are structurally very 

 closely allied to one another. Whereas, however, the two 

 form r are not climbers, the third is essentially an arboreal 

 animal, resembling in this respect the majority of the smaller 

 members of the Family. Moreover, according to information 

 kindly supplied by General Paget, there is a marked difference 

 between the Leopard and the Tiger, in the manner in which 

 they commence to devour their prey, the former always begin- 

 ning on the shoulder of its "kill," whereas the latter invariably 

 takes the first bite at the hind-quarters. Leopards, in common 

 with several others of the larger Cats, attack an animal by 

 springing on its neck. Mr. A. Whyte, who was recently col- 

 lecting animals in Nyasaland, mentions, however, an instance 

 where a Leopard killed a full-grown donkey by attacking it in 

 the flank and disembowelling it. He adds that "another most 

 unusual occurrence in this case was that the Leopard returned 

 to the carcase, and was shot dead on the third night, after 

 having been wounded on the chest the second night with a 

 charge of small shot, which was afterwards found under its 

 skin." The proximity of water is far less essential to Leopards 



