94 LLOYD S NATURAL HISTORY. 



Ounce; and the creature is but seldom even seen by European 

 sportsmen. It is known, however, to prey largely upon the 

 smaller kinds of wild Sheep, such as the Bharal and the Sha, 

 a well as upon Ibex ; and from its partiality for the flesh of 

 the first-named of these three animals, in the Simla district the 

 Ounce is commonly known as the Bliaral-Hay, or Bharal- 

 Tiger. Domestic Sheep, Goats, and even Ponies, also fall 

 victims to the Snow-Leopard ; and Colonel R. H. Percy relates 

 that a farm belonging to the Moravian mission at Railing, in 

 Lahul (where the present writer once enjoyed a welcome rest 

 on his return from the desert altitudes of Tibet), was much 

 harassed by a pair of these Leopards, one of which was 

 eventually shot by an officer of the Royal Artillery. The 

 writer last mentioned states that in 1874 a sportsman in the 

 Pangi district, on the Chinab, came across the bodies of five 

 or six male Ibex lying within a few yards of each other; all of 

 which had doubtless been killed by Snow-Leopards. From 

 the number of Ibex destroyed in this instance, it is highly prob- 

 able that the Ounce hunts in couples. 



Till within the last few years the Ounce was known to 

 European naturalists only by skins and skulls ; but recently 

 importers have been successful in bringing this fine Carnivore 

 to Europe. The first living example brought to England was 

 a young animal from Bhutan, purchased by the Zoological 

 Society in 1891. In spite, however, of every care and attention 

 it did not long survive its arrival at the Gardens in the Regent's 

 Park. A second and older specimen was, however, received 

 in the same menagerie at the beginning of 1894. During the 

 voyage to England this Leopard became a favourite of the 

 ship's cook, by whom it was taught to drink tea and milk ; 

 although its favourite food was mutton-broth. A third Snow- 

 Leopard was living in the Zoological Gardens at Amsterdam 

 during 1893. 



