The Hunting-Leopard 



connected with the skull and the upper flesh -teeth, 

 which may be passed over without special mention. 



In place of being called the "hunting-leopard," the 

 animal might have been better designated the "hunting- 

 serval," since the black markings on its fur take the 

 form of solid spots like those of the African serval, 

 instead of the rosettes distinctive of the leopard. In 

 size and form the species may be compared to a 

 long-legged, slender-bodied leopard, with short and 

 rounded ears, a tail somewhat exceeding half the 

 length of the head and body, the hair of the neck 

 rather elongated, so as to form an incipient mane 

 (whence the name jubatus)^ that on the under surface 

 of the body rather longer and shaggier than elsewhere, 

 and the fur as a whole somewhat coarse. On the 

 upper-parts of the head and body, as well as the outer 

 surface of the limbs, the ground-colour varies from 

 tawny to bright ruddy fawn, while on the under-parts 

 it is paler, and devoid of the round black spots with 

 which it is elsewhere ornamented ; the chin and throat, 

 which are bufl^sh white, being also unspotted. 



Towards the extremity of the tail the spots tend to 

 coalesce so as to form incomplete rings. The outer 

 surface of the ears is black, except at the base and on 

 the margins, where it is tawny. From the outer 

 angle of each eye a black streak runs to the lip, this 

 being continued, either as a continuous line or a row 

 of spots, from the inner angle of the eye to a point 

 just below the ear. The cubs have a coat of long 

 and uniformly grey hair, but on turning this back 

 more or less distinct traces of spots are noticeable on 

 the shorter under-fur. 



The geographical distribution of the hunting-leopard 

 is very similar to that of the lion. Unknown in 

 Ceylon and on the Malabar coast, the species ranges 

 from the confines of Bengal through Central India and 

 Rajputana to the Punjab, whence it extends through 

 Baluchistan and probably parts of Afghanistan to 



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