222 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



specimens are very rarely obtained, though occasionally live 

 cubs have been bought from natives. 



The chief peculiarities of this species are the extreme 

 beauty of the colouring, and the fact that the upper canines 

 are the longest in comparison of all living felines. 



VII. THE HUNTING LEOPARD {Felis jubata) 

 Native names : ' Chita ' generally ; * Ynz ' of the Chita-catchers {Sterndale) 



This animal is generally found in Central or Southern India. 

 The writer has never heard of it in the Punjab or North-West 

 Provinces. According to Sterndale, it is most common in 

 Jeypur in Upper India and Hyderabad in Southern India. 



In general colour it is like a panther, except that its nose is 

 black instead of pinkish ; it has a mane on the neck and long 

 hair on the belly ; its spots are single and not in rosettes. Its 

 shape is quite different from that of the panther. Instead of 

 having the muscular forearm, short legs and rounded body of 

 that beast, it is a tall greyhound-like animal with thin long legs, 

 and toes like a dog, the claws being only semi-retractile. 



It is not often shot, but most native princes have tame 

 specimens for hunting antelopes. These have to be caught when 

 nearly full grown, as cubs cannot be trained for the sport, and 

 chita catching is a regular profession in certain districts. In 

 Sterndale's ' Mammalia of India ' there is an interesting account 

 of catching chitas quoted from ' The Asian.' As regards its 

 habits when wild, the writer says : 



It is said by shikaries to feed only once every third day, when, 

 after gorging itself, it retires to its den for the other two. On the 

 morning of the third day he visits some particular tree, which the 

 animals of his species in the neighbourhood are in the habit of fre- 

 quenting. Such trees are easily to be recognised by the scoring of 

 the bark, on which he whets his claws. From this meeting place, 

 after having played about with such of his comrades as may be 

 there, they go off on a hunting expedition. 



Here is evidently the tip for any sportsman wishing to 



