THE LEOPARD 47 



us was a little fox terrier, which, at a certain spot, began 

 to nose about, and then ran into a thicket on the right of 

 the path. After a few moments, Healy, who happened 

 to be a little behind, saw it rush out, closely followed 

 by a leopard. The dog dashed straight towards him, and 

 its pursuer also came right on until only some five or six 

 yards from Healy. It then, perhaps seeing him for 

 the first time, stopped abruptly, and sprang behind a 

 bush, where it received a crippling bullet. We subse- 

 quently discovered that this leopard had been lying up 

 by a dead impala ewe. The little dog had no doubt 

 got the wind of the meat, and so brought on itself the 

 wrath of the rightful owner, which was either oblivious 

 to or, suddenly awakened from sleep, unaware of our 

 presence. 



Leopards, when hungry, sometimes prowl about their 

 area until they sight or wind an animal, and then stalk it, 

 after the manner of lions and other cats, or they lie in 

 wait near game tracks and drinking-places, now con- 

 cealed in some dense thicket or clump of reeds, now 

 extended along the overhanging branch of a tree, from 

 which they drop upon their victim as it passes beneath. 

 The death wound is inflicted by a bite which severs the 

 jugular vein or the vertebrae at the back of the neck, 

 and the carcass dragged to some convenient tangle of 

 brake or beneath some bush. Having eaten as much as 

 he can the leopard, towards morning, proceeds to the 

 water to drink, but before doing so often takes the 

 remains up a tree for safety, a necessary precaution 

 where hungry jackals and hyaenas are ever on the watch 

 for the leavings of their betters. 



Not only are leopards expert climbers, but they are 

 able to drag comparatively heavy animals to the most 

 surprising heights. I have seen a full grown impala 



