398 



THE CARNIVORES 



from Persia and Armenia ; but it has now been ascertained that, so far as the lat- 

 ter country at least is concerned, this is owing to the long-haired variety of the 

 leopard referred to above having been mistaken for the ounce. 



Our knowledge of the habits of the snow-leopard is at present but limited, 

 since comparatively few Europeans have seen the animal in its wild state. From 

 living in a practically treeless country, it is probable that it is unable to climb. 

 It preys chiefly upon wild sheep, and goats, and marmots, and other Rodents ; it 

 wages war upon domestic sheep and goats when grazing upon the higher grounds ; 

 and it will likewise, it is said, occasionally attack ponies. It is reported never to 

 molest man. The writer once saw a snow-leopard in Ladak at a considerable dis- 

 tance. Only one living example of this animal has hitherto been brought to Eng- 



THE SNOW-JEOPARD. 

 (One-tenth natural size.) 



land. This was a young one, believed to have come from Bhutan, which was pur- 

 chased by the Zoological Society in 1891, but did not long survive its arrival. 



THE JAGUAR (Felts onca) 



The jaguar is the largest representative of the Cat family inhabiting the New 

 World, being somewhat superior in size to the leopard, and having a relatively-larger 

 head. It agrees with the two preceding species in the ornamentation of the fur 

 taking the form of large rosette-like dark spots, enclosing lighter centres ; and like- 

 wise in the circular form of the pupil of the eye. The spots are, however, con- 

 siderably larger than in the leopard ; the ring of each being usually formed of a 

 number of small spots, while the light centre of each rosette contains one or more 



