PANTHER SHOOTING 



writers to draw the above distinction, not so much 

 difference in size and shape between a large and a 

 small panther as there is between a Leicester sheep 

 and a black -faced highlander, and infinitely less 

 than exists between different breeds of dogs. All 

 the diversity in the case of the (< pard" is in size, 

 and in size only ; but of course this very point of 

 difference limits the prey of the smaller specimens 

 to dogs, sheep, goats, donkeys, calves, and ponies, 

 while the larger ones can kill in addition full-grown 

 cattle, and even buffaloes. 



I have shot a panther which measured in length 

 between uprights (by the method described in a 

 previous chapter on tiger shooting as giving the 

 least possible measurement) no less than 7 feet 8J 

 inches, and I have also bagged a full-grown female 

 of only 6 feet, while many mature animals of the 

 same species are very much less than the latter. 



To call the one a panther, and the other a 

 leopard, would be most misleading ; for not only 

 are the two animals identical, but the true leopard 

 is the hunting cheetah (Felis jubata) an entirely 

 distinct species. I must therefore take leave to 

 dissent from Sterndale's division into Felis pardiis 

 and Felis panther a of an undoubtedly single species. 



The panther varies in the shade of the ground- 

 colour of his skin, as also in the density and depth 

 of colour of his rosette -like black markings ; but 

 analogous variation is also very evident in the 

 case of the tiger. 



In both panther and tiger the ground-colour of 

 the skin is generally paler in large animals than 



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