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The upper surface of the skull is arched, as in the tiger, but the 

 lower jaw is convex beneath, as in the lion, the condyle being 

 proportionally nearer the angle even than in the latter. When a 

 leopard's skull, with the mandible attached, is placed on a flat 

 surface, the hinder part of the skull almost always touches that 

 surface. 



Ground-colour above from rufous to yellowish white or pale 

 brownish yellow, sometimes darker, sometimes paler ; below white. 

 The whole animal is spotted. The spots or rosettes on the back, 

 sides, and dorsal portion of the tail are black externally, pale- 

 coloured within ; they vary much in number, size, and form ; the 

 surrounding black border of each spot is more or less interrupted, 

 an unbroken ring being of rare occurrence, whilst the inner pale 

 area is sometimes darker than the ground-colour outside, but 

 usually the same. The spots on the head, distal portions of the 

 limbs, and lower parts have no pale centres. Young leopards are 

 of a brownish colour, and the spots are much less clearly denned. 



Dimensions very variable, the total length of head, body, and tail 

 together ranging from 5 to 8 feet. A large male measured : 

 Head and body 4 feet 9 inches, tail 3 feet 2 inches ; total 7 feet 

 11 inches (Jerdon). A smaller animal 3 feet 10 inches and 2 feet 

 10 inches; total 6 feet 8 inches (Tidcett). Height at shoulder 

 about 2 feet. An average-sized skull measures 6*9 inches in basal 

 length and 5 inches wide across the zygomata ; but in the series of 

 adult skulls in the British Museum the basal length varies from 

 5-6 inches to 8-1. 



Distribution. Asia generally, with the exception of Siberia and 

 the high Tibetan plateau. Found also throughout Africa. In 

 India, Burma, and Ceylon this animal is generally distributed, ex- 

 cept in parts of Sind and the Punjab. Fossil remains have been 

 found in Great Britain, Spain, France, and Germany. 



Varieties. By very many writers, and amongst Indian naturalists 

 by Sykes, Elliot, Horsfield, Hodgson, and Sterndale, it has been 

 thought that there are two species of Indian leopards a larger and 

 a smaller. Even Jerdon appears to have been in doubt on the 

 subject. Most of the sportsmen who have hunted in Central 

 India and many native shikaris distinguish these two forms, and 

 in parts of the country there is some appearance of two races a 

 larger form that inhabits the hills and forests, and a smaller form, 

 commonly occurring in patches of grass and bushes amongst culti- 

 vated fields and gardens. The larger form is said to have a shorter 

 tail, a longer head with an occipital crest, and clearly defined spots 

 on a paler ground-colour. The smaller form has a comparatively 

 longer tail, a rounder head, less clearly defined spots, and rougher 

 fur. I cannot help suspecting that the difference is very often 

 due io age *, as in the case of the supposed two species of four- 

 horned antelope, for younger leopards have rounder heads, without 



* Tiokell, I find, in his MS. notes makes the same suggestion. 



