390 CARNIVORES. 



those inhabiting the damp forests of the Himalaya, Bengal, Assam, and Burma ; 

 and the spots on them are as a rule much smaller. Two leopards, the 

 one from China and the other from Persia, described by M. A. Milne-Edwards, 

 were remarkable for the circumstance that the markings on the flanks were more 

 like rings than rosettes, while the tail in each case was shorter than the body 

 alone. 



The differences in the size of individual leopards is so great that while in the 

 smallest examples the total length of the head, body, and tail does not exceed 

 5 feet, in the largest it reaches to as much as 8 feet. In a large male, of which 

 the total length was 7 feet 11 inches, the head and body measured 4 feet 9 inches, 

 and the tail 3 feet 2 inches. 



The leopard is one of the three larger cats which are common to India and 

 Africa ; the other two being the lion and the hunting-leopard. The distribution 

 of the leopard is, however, more extensive than that of the lion, embracing nearly 

 the whole of Asia, from Persia to Japan, but not extending as far north as Siberia ; 

 while the animal is unknown on the high plateau of Tibet, where almost all the 

 Mammals belong to peculiar species not found elsewhere. 



Leopards occur over almost the whole of India, although absent from 

 parts of Sind and the Punjab ; and they are abundant in Ceylon, Burma, 

 and the islands of the Malayan region. Westward they extend into Persia, 

 Palestine, Arabia, and Syria, and thence into Africa, where they range from 

 Somaliland and Algeria to the Cape Colony. This is, however, not all, since the 

 evidence of fossil bones found in the caverns and superficial deposits of Western 

 Europe proves that the leopard (or, at all events, a large cat of which the bones 

 and teeth are indistinguishable from those of a leopard) formerly ranged as far 

 west as Great Britain, France, and Spain. Its distribution is and was considerably 

 more extensive than that of the lion, which, as we have seen, never extended 

 eastwards of the Bay of Bengal ; and it is larger than that of any other member 

 of the Cat family except the lynx. 



Next to the tiger in India, and to the lion in Africa, the leopard is the most 

 formidable Carnivore (exclusive in India of bears) to be found in either country. 

 In its habits it differs essentially from both the lion and the tiger in that it is 

 thoroughly at home in trees, running up a straight-stemmed and smooth-barked 

 trunk with the speed and agility of a monkey. Moreover, the leopard is a much 

 more active animal than the tiger, frequently taking tremendous leaps and springs, 

 Mr. Sanderson is of opinion that the Indian leopard, although its powers of offence 

 are far inferior to those of the tiger, is in some respects a more dangerous animal, 

 as it is roused w^ith less provocation, and is more courageous in attacking those who 

 disturb its repose. The favourite resorts of the Indian leopard are rocky hills 

 covered with scrub, among which it seeks secure hiding in caves and under over- 

 hanging masses of rock. From strongholds such as these, writes Mr. Sanderson, 

 the leopards in Southern and Central India " watch the surrounding country 

 towards sunset, and descend with astonishing celerity and stealth, under cover of 

 the rocks, to cut off any straggling animal among the herds or flocks on their 

 return to the village at nightfall. From their habit of lurking in the vicinity of 

 the habitations of man, to prey upon cattle, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, and 



