THE CAT FAMILY. 131 



and have longer and softer fur. The Leopard of North 

 Eastern India is still smaller and lighter, and more thickly 

 covered with black spots. 



The large, dark yellow Pard of southern China, Java, 

 Siam and Sumatra (L. pardus-variagatus), has reddish 

 roset rings, in which the openings . are closed with spots 

 of the same color. A smaller variety, with a longer tail, 

 and colored more like the Pardus-panther, and marked 

 with innumerable spots, each made up of two or three 

 black dots, is seen on the island of Sunda. 



OUNCE (SNOW LEOPARD). 



The Snow Leopard (Felis-uncia), also called the 

 Ounce, is a distinct species. Its habitat is in the 

 Vale of Cashmere, in the Himalayas, and other highlands 

 of central Asia. The fur of this animal is almost two 

 inches long, and white on the surface, but bluish at the 

 roots. In spite of its length, the fur is harsh to the touch ; 

 this being due, probably, to its exposed habitat on the 

 mountain wastes. The legs are faintly marked, and the 

 thickly furred tail is longer than the body, and also 

 marked with faint rings. The spots on the head are 

 small, black and solid. From the reference to "The 

 Mountains of the Leopard " in Canticles (IV-8) it would 

 appear, that this animal in ancient times had a habitat in 

 Palestine. 



