56 



THE OUNCE. 



a step without giving the alarm. It is an inveterate chicken-stealer, 

 creeping by night into the hen-roosts, in spite of the watchful dogs that 

 are at their posts as sentinels, and destroying in one fell swoop the en- 

 tire stock of poultry that happen to be collected under that roof Even 

 should they roost out of doors they are no less in danger, for the Leop- 

 ard can clamber a pole or tree with marvellous rapidity, and with its 

 ready paw strike down the poor bird before it is fairly awakened. 



There are two titles for this animal — namely, the Leopard and Pan- 

 ther, both of which creatures are now acknowledged to be but slight 

 varieties of the same species. The Ounce, however, which was once 







The Ounce [Leopardus uncia). 



thought to be but a longer-haired variety of the leopard, is now known 

 to be truly a separate species. 



In general appearance it bears a very close resemblance to the leop- 

 ard, but may be distinguished from that animal by the greater fulness 

 and roughness of its fur, as well as by some variations in the markings 

 with which it is decorated. The spots exhibit a certain tendency to 

 form stripes, and the tail is exceedingly bushy when compared with 

 that of a leopard of equal size. The general color of the body is 

 rather paler than that of the leopard, being a grayish white, in which 

 a slight yellow tinge is perceptible. The Ounce is an inhabitant of 



