FELIS UNCIA. 101 



have been so universally applied to the present species, that it would be 

 vain to attempt to restore these names to their legitimate owner. 



106. Felis uncia. 



SCHREBER. BLYTH, Cat. 174, Synops. 5. HODGSON, J. A. S. XI. 

 274. F. uncioides, HODGSON. F. pardus apud PALLAS. F. irUs 1 

 EHRENBERG. Iker, Tibetan. Sdh, Bhot. Phdle, Lepch. Burrel hay 

 of the Simla hills. Thunvdg in Kunawur. Snow Leopard of sports- 

 men. 



THE OUNCE. 



Descr. Ground-colour pale yellowish-gray ; head, cheeks, and back 

 of neck covered with small irregular dark spots, gradually changing 

 posteriorly on the back and sides inte dark rings, running in lines on the 

 back, but irregularly distributed on the shoulders, sides, and haunch ; 

 from the middle of the back to near the root of the tail on the median 

 line is an irregular dark band, closely bordered on each side by a chain 

 of oblong rings almost confluent ; limbs with small dark spots ; lower 

 parts pale dingy yellowish-white, with some large dark spots about the 

 middle of the abdomen, the rest unspotted ; ears externally black at 

 the base, the tip yellow with a black edge ; tail very long, thick, and 

 bushy, with incomplete broad bands, or with a double row of large black 

 patches, unspotted below. 



Length, head and body, 4 feet 4 inches ; tail 3 feet ; height at shoulder 

 barely 2 feet. 



The far throughout is very dense, and it has a well-marked though 

 short mane. 



The Snow Leopard, as it is popularly called by sportsmen in the hills, 

 is found throughout the Himalayas at a great elevation, never very much 

 below the snows, at elevations varying with the season, from 9,000 to 

 18,000 feet. It is said to be more common on the Tibetan side of the 

 Himalayas ; and it is found chiefly throughout the highland region of 

 Central Asia, but extending as far west as Smyrna. 



The description above was taken from a fine specimen procured in 

 Sikim. It is stated to frequent rocky ground, and to kill the barrkel, 

 wild sheep ; hence one of its hill names ; also thdr, domestic sheep, goats 

 and dogs ; but has never been known to attack man. 



