116 FELID^. 



manner of hunting I collected from tlie conversation of SirArtliui* 

 Wellesley, who, while Commanding Officer at Seringapatam, kept five 

 cheetas that formerly belonged to Tippoo Sultan." Mr. Yigne writes 

 thus : " The hunting with cheetas has often been described, but it re- 

 quires strong epithets to give an idea of the creature's speed. When 

 slipped from the cart, he first walks towards the antelope with his tail 

 straightened, and slightly raised, the hackle on his shoulder erect, his head 

 depressed, and his eyes intently fixed upon the poor animal, who does notyet 

 perceive him. As the antelope moves, he does the same, first trotting, then 

 cantering after him, and when the prey starts off", the cheeta, makes a rush, 

 to which (at least I thought so) the speed of a race-horse was for the 

 moment much inferior. The cheetas that bound or spring upon their prey 

 are not much esteemed, as they are too cunning ; the good ones fairly run it 

 down. When we consider that no English greyhound ever yet I believe 

 fairly ran into a doe anteloj)e, which is faster than the buck, some idea may 

 be formed of the strides and velocity of an animal, who usually closes with 

 her immediately, but fortunately cannot draw a second breath, and con- 

 sequently, unless he strike the antelope down at once, is obliged instantly 

 to stop and give up the chase. He then walks about for three or four 

 minutes in a towering passion, after which he again submits to be helped 

 on the cart. He always singles out the biggest buck from the herd, and 

 holds him by the throat until he is disabled, keeping one paw over the 

 horns to prevent injury to himself. The doe he seizes in the same manner, 

 but is careless of the position in which he may hold her." The natives 

 assert that (in the wild state) if the ground is not very favourable for his 

 approaching them without being seen, he makes a circuit to the place where 

 he thinks they will pass over, and if there is not grass enough to cover 

 him, he scrapes up the earth all round, and lies flat until they approach so 

 near that by a few bounds he can seize on his prey. Mr. W. Elliot says, 

 " they are taught always to single out the buck, which is generally the last 

 in the herd ; the meer-shikars are unwilling to slip till they get the herd to 

 run across them, when they drive on the cart, and unhood the cheeta." 



I have only to add to this on my own testimony, that I have often 

 seen it, when unhooded at some distance from the antelope, crouch along 

 the ground, and choose any inequality of surface to enable it to get within 

 proper distance of the antelope. As to Vigne's idea of its rush being made 

 duripQg one breath, I consider it a native one and unfounded ; and I may 

 say the same of its holding one paw over the hoi*ns of the buck. The 



