102 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



mountain sanatorium of Ceylon, was always well furnished with 

 leopard -traps upon the i>ennancnt system, and the leopards, 

 which were at one time a scourge of the neighbourhood, were 

 considerably reduced. In 1846 I introduced English breeds of 

 cattle and sheep, and started an agricultural settlement at that 

 delightful mountain refuge from tropical heat ; but the leopard 

 became our greatest enemy, and although the cattle were well 

 housed at night, and carefully watched when at pasture during the 

 day, our losses were severe. I observed a peculiarity in the attacks 

 by leopards ; they seldom appeared upon a bright summer day, but 

 during the rainy season, when the wind was howling across the 

 plain, and driving the cold mist and rain, the cattle were off their 

 guard, and generally turned their tails to the chilly blast. It was 

 invariably during such weather that the leopards attacked. The 

 watchman was probably wrapped in his blanket, wet, and shiver- 

 ing beneath a tree, instead of remaining on the alert, and this 

 auspicious moment was selected by the leopard for a successful 

 stalk upon the unsuspecting herd. I have frequently lost both 

 cows and sheep, that were attacked and killed in broad daylight, 

 and the leopards were generally of sufficient strength to break the 

 neck of a full-grown beast. It should be remembered that the 

 native cattle are much smaller than those of Europe, and I do 

 not think it would be possible for a leopard to dislocate the neck 

 of any English cow. An example occurred when unfortunately a 

 valuable Ayrshire cow was attacked, and the leopard completely 

 failed in the usual dexterous wrench, but the throat was so 

 mangled that the cow died within a few days, although the 

 leopard was driven away by the watchman almost immediately 

 upon its onset. 



The wounds from the claws of a leopard are exceedingly danger- 

 ous, as the animal is in the habit of feeding upon carcases some 

 days after they have been killed ; the flesh is at that time in an 

 incipient stage of decomposition, and the claws, which are used to 

 hold the flesh while it is torn by the teeth and jaws, become 

 tainted and poisoned sufficiently to ensure gangrene by inoculation. 

 The claws of all carnivora are five upon each of the fore feet, in- 

 cluding the useful dew-claw, which is used as a thumb, and 

 thoroughly secures the morsel while the animal is pulling and 

 tearing away the muscles from the bones. 



A wound from either a tiger or a leopard should be thoroughly 

 syringed with cold water mixed with ^-th part of carbolic acid, 

 and this syringing process should be continued three times a day 

 whenever the wound is dressed. Nothing should be done but to 



