THE LEOPARD 



393 



that in both countries these leopards are found in hilly regions, more or less thickly 

 covered with jungle, from which it would seem that such districts are in some way 

 connected with the abnormal development of dark color. Far rarer than black 

 leopards, are white ones, and but very few have been met with. In addition to 

 these black and white varieties of the leopard, there are minor variations notice- 

 able in the skins of specimens from different places. In the first place, as Mr. 

 Blanford observes, African leopards always have smaller and more solid spots than 



BI.ACK JEOPARD. 



(One-twelfth natural size.) 



the Indian animal, so that the skins of the two can be distinguished at a glance. 

 Then there is a race of Persian leopards, also found in Baluchistan and Sind, in 

 which the fur is longer, and the tail thicker than ordinary; while the coloration is 

 intermediate between that of the ordinary leopard and the ounce. Further, accord- 

 ing to the author just mentioned, the leopards from Peninsular India have less 

 richly-colored skins than those inhabiting the damp forests of the Himalayas, Ben- 



