The Cat Tribe.. 81 



The immense power of muscle is displayed in the 

 concentrated energy of the spring. The leopard flies 

 through the air, settles on the throat, usually throwing 

 his own body over the animal, while his teeth and 

 claws are fixed on the neck. This is the manner in 

 which the spine of an animal is broken, viz., by a 

 sudden twist, and not simply by a blow.' 



The same author mentions that he once found a 

 Malabar lad sitting under a tree and looking very weak 

 and ill. He sent some of his men to bring the lad to 

 his house, but when they reached him they found 

 that he was dead. He was buried by the road- 

 side, but a few days afterwards it was found that the 

 leopards had discovered the buried body, dug it up, 

 and devoured it. The footprints, which were quite 

 fresh upon the damp soil, afforded unmistakable 

 evidence against the offenders. 



Leopards seem to be one of the many hindrances to 

 agriculture in Ceylon. 



They are so cunning that it is hardly possible to 

 take effectual precautions against them, and they can 

 hide themselves so easily in the almost impenetrable 

 jungle, that to extirpate them is a hopeless task, unless 

 the whole of the jungle be cleared away. Even then, 

 so great is the power of vegetation, that the neglect 

 of two or three months will permit the jungle to replace 

 itself by fresh growths. 



Cattle can hardly be considered safe even when 

 fastened into their houses, for the leopards will clamber 

 on the roof, tear away the thatch, and so gain admis- 

 sion to the shed. Once inside, a leopard will kill 

 every animal in the shed, not for the purpose of 

 satisfying its hunger, but from the mere lust of 

 slaughter. 



The cunning of the man-eacers is proverbial. One 

 favourite manoeuvre is for the animal to show itself at 



