114 FELID^. 



117. Felis jubata. 



ScHREBER. — F. guttata, Hermann. — F. venatica, A. Smith. — Chita, H. 



— Yuz, of the trainers. — Kendua hagh, Beng.—Laggar,m some parts. — 



Chita 2mli, Tel.— Chircha and Slvungi, Can.— The Cheeta, or Hunting 



Leopard. 



The Hunting Leopard. 



Descr. — Bright rufons-fawn with numerous black spots, not in 

 rosettes ; a black streak from the corner of each eye down the face ; 

 tail with black spots and the tip black ; ears short and round ; tail long, 

 much compressed towards the end ; hair of belly long and shaggy, and 

 with a considerable mane ; pupils circular ; points of the claws always 

 visible; the figure slender, small in the loins like a greyhound ; limbs long. 



Length, head and body, about 4| feet ; tail 2| ; height 2| to 2f feet. 



This animal was the original Panther and Leopardus of the ancients, 

 who considered (with the Arabs of the present day in Northern Africa) 

 that it was a breed between the lion and the pard. 



The hunting leopard is found throughout Central and part of Southern 

 India, and in the North-west from Kandeish, through Sindh and Raj- 

 pootana to the Punjab. 



It is also found in South-western Asia, as far as Syria and Mesopo- 

 tamia, and throughout Africa. It is stated to exist in Ceylon (fid. Baker 

 ex Blyth), but I doubt extremely its occurring in that island. I have met 

 with it myself in the Deccan, near Jaulna, and near Saugor in Central 

 India, in both cases in tolerably open ground where the common antelope 

 was abundant. In the one instance I turned it out of a small low her 

 bush, along with a jackal that was keeping it company; and near Saugor 

 I saw a pair of them stalking some nil-ghai in mid-day. I had one 

 young one brought to me also at Saugor, only a very few days old. It 

 was clad with long hair of a greenish fawn-colour without spots, and it 

 was not for several days that I recognized it to be the Cheeta : — the cheek- 

 stripe was the first mark that appeared. Antelope, gazelle, and nil-ghai 

 are said to be its chief food in the wild state, but it is said occasionally 

 to carry sheep oflf. Native shikarees assert that it usually has its lair 

 among rocks, and feeds only every third day, sleeping the two others. 



I brought up the young one above alluded to along with some grey- 

 hound pups, and they soon became excellent friends. Even when nearly 

 full grown it would play with the dogs (who did not over relish his 



