1883.] MR. R. TRIMEN ON A VARIETY OF THE LEOPARD. 535 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 



Plate XL VIII. 

 Fig. 1. Ciiretis ghriosa, n. sp., p. 522. 



2. anfiulata, n. sp., p. 622. 



3. arciiafa, n. sp., p. 523. 



4. Casfalius interriipiiis, n. sp., p. 523. 



5. Cyaniris placida, n. sp., p. 523. 



6. marginata, n. sp., p. 523. 



7. — -■ — albidisca, n. sp., p. .524. 



8. Niphanda plinioides, n. sp., p. 524. 



9. Cyaniris latimargo, n. sp., p. 523. 



10. jynteana, n. sp., p. 524. 



11. sikkima, n. sp., p. 524. 



Plate" XLIX. 



Fig. 1. Nilasera opalina, n. sp., p. 531. 



2. subfasciata, n. sp., p. 532. 



3. Abisara abnormis, u. sp., p. 532 



4. ApkjKPus ahiormis, n. sp., p. 526. 



5. Hypoh/ccBiia grofei, u. sp., p. 527. 



6. • cachara, n. sp., p. 527. 



7. Tajitria jchana, n. sp., p. 529. 



8. Hypolycmna nilgirica, u. sp., p. 527. 



9. Pratipa lila, n. sp., p. 529. 



5. On a remarkable Variety of the Leopard {Felis pardus), 

 obtained in the East of the Cape Colony. By B,. 

 Trimen, F.R.S., F.Z.S. 



[Eeceived September 12, 1883.] 



In the Albany Museum, at Grahamstown, I have lately seen a 

 mounted skin of Felis pardus, which differs much from any specimen 

 that I have previously met with. It is that of a full-grown animal, 

 but its sex is not noted. 



In this example the most noteworthy character is the abundance 

 of small black simple spots, almost to the exclusion of the ordinary 

 " rose " or " ring " spots. The small spots are very numerous on 

 the forehead and sides of the head, all along the dorsal tract, on 

 both sides all over the middle of the body, and also on the shoulders 

 and outer sides of the fore legs. Imperfect rose-spots are observable 

 on the paler spaces on the sides of the neck, of the body behind the 

 shoulders, and of the thighs. The fur of the tail is of a sandy 

 colour, spotted and mixed with fuscous, the terminal portion being 

 grizzled fuscous. 



This specimen is labelled " Bucklands, near Koonap — presented 

 by Mr. Buckley, August 18/0." The Catalogue of the Albany 

 Museum mentions it as a cross between the ordinary and black 

 Leopards ; but I believe the well-known black form of the Leopard 

 has never been met with in South Africa (if in Africa at all), the speci- 

 mens recorded being from India, Java, and Sumatra. I should thus 

 prefer to regard this Cape specimen as an iaterestiug aberration in 

 the direction of the complete melanism of the so-called Felis melas. 



