

CHAPTER XXIII. 



A MUTINOUS SCOUNDREL. 

 African Leopards Cookey Again A Knock Down. 



THE leopard killed last night was a small female 

 that had just reached maturity. She was well 

 nourished, and possessed of a beautiful hide, the 

 orange-tawny ground, being particularly dark and 

 brilliant, while the sable spots, in shape like large 

 pansy flowers, were, except in their centre, as black 

 as jet could be. This decided contrast is ever indi- 

 cative of youth, whereas a tendency of the respective 

 colours to blend, denotes the reverse. 



I am decidedly of opinion that there are two, if not 

 three, distinct species of leopard in South Africa, 

 among which I do not include the hunting leopard, 

 or cheetah, which I am disposed to think possesses 

 more of the characteristics of the dog than of the cat 

 family. The subdivisions that I make in the group 



