472 RECORDS OF BIG GAME 



LEOPAED (Felis pardus). 



The leopard has an even larger range than the lion, and is probably 

 the most widely distributed of all the cats. Sportsmen in India 

 recognise a larger " panther " and a smaller " leopard," although 

 naturalists fail to distinguish them as separate forms. The typical 

 representative of the species is the larger Indian leopard. The African 

 leopard, which has the spots on the body of smaller size, and many 

 of them without light centres, like those on the head, is known as 

 F. pardus leopardus, the pale East African leopard being the type of 

 this race. West African leopards are darker. In Persia, Baluchistan, 

 and the mountains of Sind is found a race of the leopard (F. pardus 

 panthera) characterised by its pale colour, long fur, and thick tail ; 

 it is to some extent intermediate between the typical race and the 

 ounce. Lastly, there is the Manchurian leopard (F. pardus fontanieri}, 

 a very distinct animal, of heavy build, with a pale ground-colour to 

 the fur, which is very long and thick, and the spots in the form 

 of large complete rings, without any smaller spots in the centre. 

 In the moist forest districts of Asia black leopards are by no means 

 uncommon ; and there is a tendency to darkening of a different type 

 in some South- African specimens. Height at shoulder from about 2 

 feet (India) to 2 feet 4 inches (Africa). A large leopard killed by 

 Lieut-Col. L. L. Fenton in the Gir forest, Kathiawar, measured 7 feet 

 8^- inches in length ; the length of the tail being 35^- inches, the girth 

 of the neck 2i|- inches, of the forearm 1 1^- inches, and of the body 

 behind the shoulder 35^- inches ; weight, 160 Ibs. 

 Distribution. Africa, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and Asia generally, 



with the exception of Northern Siberia, the Tibetan plateau, and 



perhaps Japan. 



General Measurements Indian Specimens. 



brfore h T d t r] s 1 s e e n d gth Weight. Locality. Owner, 



skinned. 



ft. in. ft. in. Ibs. 



-84 ... ... Cooch-Behar . . H. H. The Maharajah of Cooch- 



Behar. 

 -8 2j ... Do. . . Do. 



-8 l-^ ... Do. Do. 



-80 154 Do. Do. 



-80 8 8i ... India. . . . Count J. Potocki. 



