FELTS. 69 



any occipital ridge to the skull, and rougher fur than older animals. 

 I have for years endeavoured to distinguish the two forms, but 

 without success. The size of the animal, the number, form, and 

 closeness of the spots, and length of tail are all extremely variable 

 characters. The animals found in the damp forests of the Hima- 

 layas, Bengal, Assam, and Burma are darker and i-edder in colour, 

 and have the spots larger in proportion to the interspaces, than the 

 paler-coloured leopards of the Indian Peninsula ; and I tliink some 

 of the leopards of Central India are larger than is usual elsewhere. 

 I cannot myself, as I ha\e said, in many cases determine to 

 which of the two supposed forms an Indian leopard-skin should be 

 referred, yet I can tell most African skins * at a glance, as the 

 spots are very much smaller ; and there is a race inhabiting Persia, 

 and found in Baluchistan and the mountains of Siud t, that differs 

 widely from all the others and is quite intermediate in coloration 

 and spotting between the leopard and the ounce, the resemblance 

 to the latter being increased by the long fur and thick hairy tail. 

 These two varieties, the African and the Persian, however, pass by 

 insensible gradations into the ordinary form ; and I cannot find 

 any difference in the skulls or evidence to satisfy me that there is 

 any constant distinction between different races of leopards, pards, 

 or panthers. This is the conclusion at which Mr. Blyth also 

 arrived. 



A black variety of the leopard is not uncommon. The spots on 

 this can still be traced if the skin is viewed in certain lights, but 

 the general colour is luiiform black, the colour of a black cat. This 

 i'orm, though distinguished by some writers as Fells melas, is un- 

 questionably only a \ ariety, the occurrence of black and spotted 

 cubs in the same litter having been repea^^edly recorded. Black 

 leopards are more common on the hills of Southern India and in 

 Travancore than in other parts of the peninsula ; they are also 

 said to be of frequent occurrence in the Malay Peninsula. A 

 white (albino) leopard is figured in Buchanan Hamilton's 

 di'awings. 



Habits. The habits of leopards differ materially from those of 

 tigers. The leopard is much more lithe and active even than the 

 tiger, climbing trees readily, and making immense bounds clear off 

 the ground. The leopard is often found in the neighbourhood of 

 villages, hiding during the day amongst the crops or in the bushes 

 about cultivation, and carrying off sheep, goats, and especially dogs, 

 at night. In pursuit of his prey he seems to have but little fear 

 of man ; he will enter outhouses, native huts, or even tents. He 

 cares but little for the neighbourhood of water even in the hot 

 weather, his favourite haunts being rocky hills covered with thick 

 scrub, and he is generally found in caves and under piles of rocks. 



* Probably the true F. leopardus of Erxleben &e. and F. pardus of Temminek. 



t Probably F. Mlicma, Val. See Alston and Danford, P. Z. S. 1880, p. 51. 

 I bave a fine skin, for which I am indebted to Mr. H. E. Watson, from the 

 Khirthar range on the western frontier of Sind. 



