THE PANTHER. 99 



and trained to hunt the antelope, and other beasts of the chase. 

 It is carried in a small kind of wagon, chained and hoodwinked, 

 until it approaches the game, when it is unchained and let loose 

 on the pursuit. At first it begins by creeping along close to the 

 ground, squatting and concealing itself as much as possible, until 

 it gains an advantageous position. It then darts on its prey with 

 extraordinary agility, frequently making five or six amazing 

 bounds. If it does not succeed in this first effort, it desists from 

 any other pursuit, and returns to its master. 



The general size of the African leopard is nearly that of a 

 pretty large mastiff, and few of them exceed four feet in length. 



THE PANTHER 



Is equal in size to the largest of our mastiff dogs, but its legs 

 are somewhat shorter it is consequently larger than the lepp- 

 ard, being frequently from five to six feet long ; whereas the lat- 

 ter, as already observed, seldom exceeds four feet. It inhabits 

 Africa, from Barbary to the remotest parts of Guinea : it is ab- 

 solutely untameable, and when kept under confinement, growls 

 almost continually. 



The panther is extremely ferocious, but happily prefers the 

 flesh of brute animals to that of the human species ; although 

 when pressed with hunger, it attacks every living creature, with- 

 out distinction. It takes its prey by surprise, either lurking in 

 thickets, or creeping on its belly until it come within its reach : 

 it will even climb trees in pursuit of monkeys, and other small 

 animals, so that nothing is perfectly secure from its attacks. 



The colour of the panther is yellow, of a deep tint on the back, 

 but growing paler towards the belly, which, together with the 

 chest, is white : on the back, sides, and flanks, it is beautifully 

 marked with black spots, disposed in circles of four or five each, 

 with a single spot in the centre : its ears" are short and pointed ; 

 its eyes fierce and restless ; and its whole aspect is marked with 

 the most untameable ferocity. 



China produces a most tietutiful animal of this kind called the 

 louchu, the skin of which is commonly sold for not less than six 

 pounds sterling. An animal of this species is also found in Tar- 

 tary, called the baber: it is seven feet long, and extremely fero- 

 cious. Its skin is fine, and valued in Russia at a pound sterling. 



The ancients were well acquainted with the panther; and the 

 Romans obtained from the deserts of Africa great numbers of 

 these animals for their public shows. Scaurus exhibited an hun- 

 dred and fifty of them at one time ; Pompey, four hundred and 

 ten ; Augustus, four hundred and twenty. Panthers must have 

 been at that time extremely plentiful in the northern parts of Af- 

 rica, and they still swarm in the tropical regions of that continent 



