APPENDIX I. 



THE SEISTAN LEOPARD. 



Note on leopard skin from Palang Kuh by Mr R. LYDEKKER, 

 published in ' The Field. ' 



MAJOR KENNION has presented to the Natural History 

 Museum the skin of a leopard from Seistan, Eastern 

 Persia, of an undescribed variety. It is that of a rather 

 small animal in the winter coat, and is characterised by 

 the length of the fur and the very pale tint of the 

 ground-colour, which is buffy white on the back, pass- 

 ing into pure white on the under parts and lower por- 

 tions of the limbs. Another peculiarity is the ill-defined 

 character of the dark rosettes, especially on the back, 

 approximating in these respects to a Persian leopard, 

 but having both these features more pronounced. In 

 connection with this subject it may be mentioned that 

 it was long supposed that the presence of black dots 

 within the rosettes was a peculiarity of the jaguar as 

 distinct from the leopard. Of late years it has, however, 

 been shown that certain leopard skins from Eastern 

 Asia exhibit this jaguar-like feature, although, so far as 

 I am aware, the exact place of origin is unknown. It 

 is, therefore, of interest to note that Dr Charles Hose 

 has in his possession one of these jaguar-like leopard 

 skins which came from Siam, thus indicating at least 



