THE LEOPARD. 159 



of the ancients. Amidst these strong but conflict- 

 ing authorities, it is difficult to decide the question 

 satisfactorily, without a much larger series of spe- 

 cimens than we can at present command. The pan- 

 ther we considered nearly of a similar size to the 

 leopard, but more powerfully made, the ground co- 

 lour darker, and the markings, though crowded, ar- 

 ranged with considerable regularity, entirely " en 

 form de rose" the rings formed of separate spots, 

 and the body with few or no smaller and irregular 

 intermediate markings. The tail is also said to be 

 longer in proportion *. 



It was this animal which was so abundantly sup- 

 plied to the games and public spectacles of the Ro- 

 mans- at least the representation upon ancient 

 carvings and architecture have more the appearance 

 of its markings than those of the leopard. The 

 number of them which were brought together at 

 once was almost incredible, Pompey having exhi- 

 bited 410, and Augustus 420. 



Some zoologists have been of opinion, that there 

 were more than two species involved in the animal 

 designated Leopard and Panther; and the figure 

 and description given by Major Smith in Griffith's 

 Cuvier, of an animal under the conditional title of 

 " The Panther of the ancients," goes far to confirm 

 it. Major Smith met with this animal stuffed at 



* Temmmck says the tail of the leopaid contains 22 

 vertebrae, that of the panther 28. The number, however. I be- 

 lieve, varies in many well-established species of the Feline 



