LEOPARD (FELIS PAROUS). 133 



LEOPARD (Felis pardus). 



Native Names. 



Chinyanja Nyalugwe. Swahili Chui. 



Chiyao Chisuwe. Chisenga Kankanongo. 



Chikunda Kaingwi. Chibisa Ingo- 



Chiwemba Mbwili. Zulu (Ngoni) . . Ingnewi. 



Chitonga Chikoko. 



Food. 

 The smaller buck, such as impala, klipspringer, and duiker, but occasionally 

 tackles the larger, as hartebeest, and also zebra. 

 Smaller mammals, such as hare, mice, &c. 

 Man seldom. 



Cattle and goats ; often the latter, more seldom the former. 

 Guinea-fowl. 



Also jackal, civet, and dogs, being especially fond of the latter, 

 Locusts. 



Spoor. 

 Like that of lion, but considerably smaller. The same size as that of a large 

 hyaena; but the latter shows claw-marks, has a smaller pad, and the outer toes on 

 either side are further back. 



The leopard, like the lion, has retractile claws, which only appear in the spoor 

 when about to spring. 



Its dung is frequently seen on the native paths where it has been hunting mice, 

 as can be seen by the undigested fur. Klipspringers' hair is also often found in the 



dung. 



Habitat. 



Particularly fond of mountainous country, with steep nullahs and ravines, where it 



lurks in the daytime, coming down on to the plains at night. 



Habits. 



More usually seen in pairs. 



May be put up or come upon accidentally by day as a lion, and like the latter lie 

 very close. 



Both lion and leopard usually growl as they are springing on their prey. 



The leopard frequents paths by night, where it steals silently along or lies in wait 

 for various kinds of fieldmice, of which it is very fond. 



