144 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



"Just before we reached our grouml, it was reported tliat a licrd of ante- 

 lopes was feeding about half a mile out of tlie line of march, and the chetahs 

 being at hand, we decided to go in pursuit of them. The leopards, at this 

 time, were each accommodated with a flat-topped cart, without sides, drawn 

 by two bullocks, and each animal had two attendants. They were loosely- 

 bound by a collar and rope to the back of the vehicle, and also held by the 

 keeper by a strap round the loins. A hood of leather covered the eyes. 

 The antelopes, being exceedingly timid and wild, the best way to enjoy th.c 

 sport, is to sit on the cart alongside of the driver; for the vehii.de beiii"- 

 built like the hachcries of the peasants, to the sight of which the deer are 

 aeeustomed, it is not difHcult to approach within two hundred yards of the 

 game. On emerging from a cotton-field, wc came in sight of four ante- 

 lopes, and my driver managed to get within a hundred yards of them ere 

 they took the alarm. The clietah was (piickly unhooded, and loosed fi-oni 

 his bonds ; and as soon as he viewed the deer, he dropped (juietly off the 

 cart, on the opposite side to that on which they stood, and advanced to- 

 wards them at a slow, crouching canter, masking himself by every bush and 

 inequality which lay in his way. As soon, however, as they began to show 

 alarm, he quickened his pace, and was in the midst of them in a k\\ bounds. 

 lie singled out a doe, and ran it close for about two hundred yanls, when 

 he reached it with a bk)w of his jiaw, rolled it over, anil, in an instant, was 

 sucking its l)lood at its throat. One of the other chetahs was slip[)ed at the 

 same time, but after making four or five desperate bounds, by which he 

 nearly reached his jn-ey, suddenly gave U2> the pursuit, and came growling 

 sulkily back to his cart. 



"As soon as the deer is pulled down, a keeper runs up, hoods the chetah, 

 cuts the victim's throat, and securing some of the blood in a wooden ladle, 

 thrusts it under the leopard's nose. The aiitelo[)e is then dragged awav, 

 and placed in a receptacle under the hachcry, while the chetah is rewarded 

 with a leg for his pains." 



'J'liJi Ocelot (Fdis pririh/l/s). ■ — The oi'clot is a South American 

 spci.'ies, of an extremely interesting character. It is twice the size of the 

 domestic cat, of a pale yellowish color, marked with longitudinal brown 

 and black spots. There appear to be four or fi\e varieties, distinguished by 

 ditt'erent markinais, and slight difl'erences of shade in the irround-color. 



This cat is a nimble climber, and ascends trees with facility in search of 

 prey, which consists of birds and small animals. It is easily tamed, and, 

 in a state of domestication, becomes very playful. Its temper, however, 

 cannot be relied on. A gentleman in France tamed one of these animals, 

 which, for three years, enjoyed the range of his house and garden the same 

 as a domestic cat. One evening, however, at the fireside, when a child of 



