498 RECORDS OF BIG GAME 



The LEOPARD (Felis pardus). 

 Ngo of Uganda. Harvard of the M'Kua. Chita in India. 



The leopard has an even larger range than the lion, and is probably 

 the most widely distributed of all the cats. Sportsmen in India 

 recognise a larger " panther " and a smaller " leopard," although 

 naturalists fail to distinguish them as separate forms. The typical 

 representative of the species is the larger Indian leopard. The African 

 leopard, which has the spots on the body of smaller size, and many 

 of them without light centres, like those on the head, is known as 

 F. pardus leopardus, the pale East African leopard being the type of 

 this race. West African leopards are darker. The Somali leopard 

 (F. pardus nanopardns) is a very small light-coloured race. In Persia, 

 Baluchistan, the mountains of Sind, and probably Kashmir, is found a 

 race of the leopard (F. pardus panthera ) characterised by its pale colour, 

 long fur, and thick tail ; it is to some extent intermediate between the 

 typical race and the ounce. Lastly, there is the Manchurian leopard 

 (F. pardus villosus\ a very distinct animal, of heavy build, with a pale 

 ground-colour to the fur, which is very long and thick, and the spots in 

 the form of large complete rings. In the moist forest districts of Asia 

 black leopards are by no means uncommon, and there is a tendency 

 to darkening of a different type in some South African specimens ; but 

 these do not constitute distinct local races. Height at shoulder from 

 about 2 feet (India) to 2 feet 4 inches (Africa). A large leopard killed 

 by Lieut.-Col. L. L. Fenton in the Gir forest, Kathiawar, measured 

 7 feet 8^ inches in length; the length of the tail being 35^ inches, 

 the girth of the neck 21^ inches, of the forearm 11^ inches, and 

 of the body behind the shoulder 35^ inches; weight, 160 Ibs. 

 Distribution. Africa, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and Asia generally, 



with the exception of Northern Siberia, the Tibetan plateau, and 



Japan. 



General Measurements Indian Specimens. 



? ^^'f h Weight. Locality. Owner, 



skinned. 



ft. ins. ft. in>. Ibs. 



-8 6 ... ... Kashmir . . . Capt. A. (i. Arhuthnot. 



-84 ... ... Cooch Behar . . II. II. the Maharaja of Cooch 



Hchar. 

 -8 2j ... ... Do. . . Do. 



- Owner's measurements. 



