38 



No. 27.-Felis Jubata. 



JERDON, No. 117, PAGE 114 ; THE HUNTING LEOPARD. 

 Every one who cares about such matters, knows that the hunting 

 leopard runs down its prey by sheer speed as does a greyhound, 

 instead of creeping up to it, as do the panther and all the other cats, 

 but few are aware how wonderfully nature has provided for this 

 style of hunting by giving this beautiful cat a canine foot, that is 

 not damaged in the headlong rush it has to make over a hard and 

 stony plain ; in place of the well-cushioned paws and deeply con- 

 cealed talons that allow the rest of the feline tribe to get so noise- 

 lessly up to their prey. I do not think that the difference in shape 

 between the only partially retractile and dog-like claw of this cat 

 and the admirably protected talons of the other large varieties of 

 the tribe has been clearly pointed out. The lithographs attached, 

 are taken from photographs of the claws of very fine specimens of 

 " F. pardus," and " F. jubata ;" the last was a very old male, and 

 until I saw him I always fancied that the head and loins of the 

 hunting leopard in Sir William Harris's beautiful Plates of South 

 African animals, were too small. This specimen was found in a 

 small rocky hill close to my camp the other was a very dark- 

 colored and powerful panther which had killed one man and mor- 

 tally wounded another in a charge through some beaters who had 

 tried to mob him the day before he was slain. 



I agree with Jerdon in disbelieving (vide page 116 of his book) 

 the native ideas of the rush being made in one breath, and the paw 

 being held over the horns of the buck. 



The leopard always seizes the buck by the throat, after he has 

 knocked the poor animal down and thus naturally holds the head 

 firmly fixed against the ground with the horns as a lever. With- 

 out wishing in the least degree to question the wonderful speed of 

 the leopard in his last rush, I think that the buck, just at the end 

 of the run, when he sees all hope is lost, becomes so paralyzed with 

 fear as to be incapable of exerting himself to the utmost. Every 

 one who has an opportunity of seeing a hunting cheetah at work, 

 should for once, at least, take advantage of it, for pursuer and 

 pursued are, wheu iii action, perhaps the most beautiful animals in 



