I.--. CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



animal ; but it was not till" about thirty years ago "that the possession of a living specimen, brought 

 from Senegal, in the menagerie of the Jardin du lloi, enabled M. F. (Juvier to ascertain its character 

 with precision. The comj>arison of this African specimen with the skins sent from India, and with 

 the notes and drawings made in that country by M. Duvaucel, at once puts an end to all doubts of the 

 identity of the two animals." 



U'lien these animals are intended to be employed in the chase, they are carried hooded to the 

 field, chained on low cara As the hunter comes within view of a herd of antelopes, a leopard is 

 unchained, his hood is removed, and the game is pointed out to him ; for he is directed in the pursuit 

 by his sight. Then the cheetah steals along cautiously and crouchingly, taking advantage of every 

 means of masking his attack, till lie has approached the herd unseen, within killing distance, when he 

 suddenly launches himself on his quarry with five or six vigorous and rapid bounds, strangles it, 

 instantly, and drinks its blood. The huntsman now approaches the leopard, caresses him, wins him 

 from his prey by placing the blood which he collects in a wooden ladle under the nose of the animal, 

 or by tin-owing to him pieces of meat ; and whilst he is thus kept quiet hoods him, leads him back to 



TUB OUNCE. 



his car, and there chains him. If the cheetah fails in consequence of the herd having taken timely 

 alann, he attempts no pursuit, but returns to his car with a dejected and mortified air. 



THE OUNCE.* 



THE length of this animal, from the nose to the tail, is three feet and a half, and the tail is about 

 two feet and a half. The Ounce is long-backed and short-legged. Its hair is long and of a light gray 

 colour, tinged with yellow, somewhat lighter on the breast and belly ; the head is marked with small 

 round spots ; behind each ear there is a large black spot ; the back is beautifully varied with a number 

 oi oval figures, formed by small spots almost touching each other; the spots on the sides are more 

 irregular ; those on the legs and thighs are small, and thinly dispersed; the tail is full of hair, and 

 irregularly marked with large black spots. 



1 he mince is said to be more gentle in its manners than the leopard. It is a native of many 

 parts ol Africa, such as Marbary, Arabia, and Persia ; and is to be found in Asia, as far as China. It 

 i-< frequently t rained to the chose, like the cheetah, or hunting leopard. 



Felis Uncia. Gmelin. 



