THE LEOPARD. 161 



directed to the solution of the dubiety which stV 

 exists between this and the other animals we have 

 just mentioned. 



Cuvier observes, that a variety of the panther is 

 sometimes found black, with the spots of a deeper 

 shade, and that he has seen this variety in the same 

 litter with those of the ordinary colours *. This 

 black variety the same author refers to the Felis me- 

 las of Peron. 



In a wild state, these animals appear to inhabit 

 thick cover and the forest, more than the tiger, and 

 are much less seen abroad. Their prey is necessarily 

 confined to the smaller mammalia, such as the deer 

 and antelopes ; and, when the farm-yard is attacked, 

 to the sheep and poultry. Hares, wild fowl, and 

 monkeys, are also attacked, and the latter are often 

 followed or surprised upon the trees ; for they are 

 expert climbers, and resort to the branches either in 

 pursuit of game, or when they are themselves pur- 

 sued. They are also hunted in India with elephants, 

 like the tiger ; but this formidable style of hunting is 

 seldom thought necessary ; and their abode, in the 



* We add here Cuvier's characters of these two ani- 

 mals from the Regne Animal : 



" La Panthere, Felis pardus, Linn. Fauve dessous, blanc 

 uessus, avec dix ou sept rangees de taches noires en forme 

 de roses, c'est a dire formee de Tassemblages du cinq ou six 

 petits taches simples, sur chaque flanc ; la queu est de lon- 

 geur du corps, moins la tete." Temminck asserts: this is a 

 leopard. 



" Le Leopard, Felis leopardus, Linn. Semblable a la 

 Panthere, mais avec rangees des taches plus petites." 



L 



