ORDER CARNIVORA: CARNIVORES 287 



stripes and blotches, which are longitudinal on the dorsal area and 

 oblique or longitudinal on the flanks; legs blotched and spotted to 

 the feet; basal half of tail with two longitudinal stripes, distal half 

 with irregular transverse stripes; ground color mostly cream-buff; 

 belly white. Skin measurements: head and body, 4 feet 2 inches 

 to 4 feet 5 inches; tail, 2 feet 6 inches. (Pocock, 1927a, pp. 250- 

 252.) The King Cheetah is by some considered as a color mutation 

 of the Common Cheetah (G. M. Allen, MS.). 



FIG. 32. King Cheetah (Acinonyx rex). After Pocock, 1927. 



The species is known only from Southern Rhodesia. Its range 

 may lie wholly within the northern division of the Southeastern 

 Veldt District of Bowen (1933, pp. 256, 260) . 



This superb new Cheetah was brought to scientific attention in 

 1926, by Major A. L. Cooper, who sent to the British Museum the 

 skin of an animal trapped by natives in the Umvukwe Range 

 (Pocock, 1927a, p. 245). 



Cooper (in Maydon, 1932, pp. 335-336) gives the following ac- 

 count: 



"That this animal was known for some time past is borne out 

 by the fact that, twenty years ago, mention used to be made round 

 camp fires by natives of a beast that was neither Lion, Leopard, 

 nor Cheetah, and ... I believe was referred to as the 'Mazoe 

 Leopard.' It was apparently commoner in those days than it is now." 



The skin now in the Salisbury Museum was purchased from 

 natives, who stated that they had killed the animal in the Macheke 

 district. There were four or five in the troop. 



H. M. G. Jackson reported a similar skin at the American Mission 



