THE LEOPARD. &$ 



than it is to Tigers ; and, as a rule, the former animals resort to 

 hilly and more or less broken districts, especially when well- 

 wooded; and, although in many parts of India and Africa 

 numerous in such districts, they are, from their purely noc- 

 turnal habits, but seldom seen. Occasionally, however, the 

 traveller on a mountain-path, if accompanied by a Dog, may 

 be surprised by the sudden dash of a Leopard in pursuit of 

 his canine companion, Dogs being a favourite prey of these 

 animals. Capable of hiding completely in a very small 

 amount of cover, Leopards always attack very stealthily, with- 

 out giving any warning of their proximity by preliminary 

 growls ; but when once the attack is determined on, it is made 

 with great suddenness and rapidity, and these animals are said 

 to charge home more frequently than Tigers. Messrs. Nicolls 

 and Eglington write that in South Africa, "except when hunt- 

 ing in couples, it is unusual for them to attack the very large 

 Antelopes, but they are extremely destructive to the smaller 

 varieties, and the young of all, including the Giraffe. When 

 pressed by extreme hunger, Man himself is not free from as- 

 sault." The victim is invariably seized by the throat. Domestic 

 animals of the smaller kinds are terribly harried by Leopards, 

 and from the ravages inflicted on the flocks of the settlers, 

 these marauders have been pretty well exterminated from those 

 districts of South Africa which have been long settled. A few 

 still remain, however, in the hills and mountains of the Trans- 

 vaal and Bechuanaland, while farther in the interior they are 

 much more numerous. 



When wounded, a Leopard will fight to the last gasp; and on 

 this account the animal is regarded as even more dangerous 

 than the Lion. It is stated, however, that although more men 

 are wounded by Leopards than by either Tigers or Lions, the 

 fatalities caused by the former are less numerous than those 

 due to the latter. 



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