THE LEOPARD. 57 



On board the ship, there was a small Musi dog, who used 

 to play round the cage and with the animal, and it was 

 amusing to observe the playfulness and tenderness with 

 which the latter came in contact with his inferior-sized com- 

 panion. When fed with a fowl that died, he seized the 

 prey, and after sucking the blood and tearing up a little, 

 he amused himself for hours in throwing it about, and 

 jumping after it in the manner that a cat plays with a 

 mouse before it is quite dead. He never seemed to look 

 on man or children as his prey, but as companions; and 

 the natives assert, that when wild, they live principally on 

 poultry, birds, and the smaller kinds of deer. They are 

 not found in numbers, and may be considered rather 

 a rare animal, even in the Southern part of Sumatra. 

 Both specimens were procured from the interior of Ben- 

 coolen river. They are generally found in the vicinity of 

 villages., and are not dreaded by the natives, except as far 

 as they may destroy the poultry. The natives assert, that 

 they sleep, and often wait for their prey on trees ; and from 

 this circumstance, they derive the name of Dahan, which 

 signifies the fork formed by the branch of a tree, across 

 which they are said to rest, and occasionally stretch them- 

 selves. Both specimens constantly amused themselves 

 in frequently jumping, and clinging to the top of their cage, 

 and throwing a somerset, or twisting themselves in the man- 

 ner of a squirrel when confined, the tail being extended and 

 showing to great advantage, when so expanded." 



Having given in a former number, the natural history of 

 the Lion, we cannot do better, than furnish at this time, 

 a review of the entire feline genus, reserving to a future 

 number, a more minute description of two or three spe- 

 cies, as yet unnoticed, especially the Jaguar or American 

 Panther. 



" The first of this class of animals," says Goldsmith, 

 "Is the Lion, distinguishable from all the rest by his 

 strength, his magnitude, and his mane. The second, is 



