WILD ANIMALS TRAINED TO HUNT 87 



slight extent, and, consequently, the points always 

 remain exposed to view, whereas those of all other 

 cats can be entirely withdrawn and concealed 

 within their protecting sheaths. 



In general build the beast may be likened unto 

 a greyhound on account of the great slenderness 

 of its legs and body. When adult it attains to a 

 length of seven feet, inclusive of its tail, which 

 measures about thirty inches, and it stands about 

 thirty to thirty- three inches in height at the shoulder. 

 Its tawny-coloured coat is decorated with numerous 

 and rather small black spots. The species is found 

 in both Africa and India, but it is only in the latter 

 country that the animals are employed for coursing 

 game. No other creature can vie with the hunting- 

 leopard for fleetness of foot, although it must be 

 stated that its powers of endurance are not very 

 great, and if it fails to overtake its quarry after a 

 run of a few minutes it invariably gives up the chase. 

 But should the beast be successful in its quest, it 

 quickly brings its victim to the ground by tripping 

 it up with a blow from its paw, and then dispatches 

 it by gripping it across the throat. The writer is 

 well able to vouch for the fact that the legs of a 

 cheetah are, in spite of their slenderness, extremely 

 muscular, for on one occasion, when he had entered 

 the cage of an individual at the Zoo for the purpose 

 of taking its photograph, it suddenly pounced 

 upon the disturber of its peace, and grasped his legs 

 with its fore-limbs, with the result that he was 

 held a prisoner until the animal's keeper came to 

 the rescue and forcibly dragged it off. 



