66 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



CHAPTER VII 

 THE HUNTING LEOPARD, OR CHITA 



THE hunting leopard or chita is distinguished from 

 all other cats by its lack of fully retractile claws, 

 a circumstance which imposes upon it a manner of 

 hunting its prey distinct from that employed by 

 the remainder of the cats. It is a slenderly built, 

 long-limbed animal, not so sinuous and graceful as the 

 leopard, and fashioned for speed rather than for catlike 

 agility. The tail is long and rather bushy, the spots 

 are solid, and a slight mane or ruff decorates the neck. 

 The head is small, the teeth are inferior in size to the 

 leopard's, and the jaw is less powerful. 



It inhabits most of the drier, less densely forested 

 portions of the African continent, where game exists, 

 and, like that of the lion and the caracal, its range extends 

 into Asia ; or perhaps it would be more correct to say 

 that the species has extended, without pronounced change 

 of type, from that continent into the Ethiopian region. 



The hunting leopard is generally found in open, or 

 lightly forested grass country. Thick bush, not being 

 suited to its method of securing its prey, is avoided. 



It is extremely secretive and shy by nature, and 

 although perhaps comparatively numerous within a 

 given area, it is surprising how seldom it is met with, 

 considering that much of its hunting is done in the early 

 morning and late evening. It is less nocturnal in habit 

 than any of the other cats, and often ventures abroad 

 in the day-time, especially in cool and cloudy weather. 

 In a game country there is always the odd chance of 

 coming across one of these animals, often under the most 

 unlikely conditions. 



