PANTHER. 



113 



The scientific description given by major Smith of 

 the leopard, is as follows : — " Fur, bright yellow on 

 the upper part, white underneath, with at least ten 

 ranges of small black clusters of spots on each flank : 

 lower part of the tail, for about one third of its length, 

 black above, white underneath, with five or six white 

 annuli on the black part. Rather smaller than the 

 panther." * Our own opinion on the specific dissimilarity 

 between the leopard and the panther, judging from what 

 has been written upon the subject, is in perfect unison 

 with that of major Smith ; while the following remark 

 of that observing naturalist, incidentally inserted in his 

 account of the panther of antiquity, seems to us almost 

 conclusive: — "The open spots which mark all the 

 panthers, have the inner surface of the annuli or rings 

 more fulvous (in other words, darker) than the general 

 colour of the sides : but in the leopard no such distinction 

 appears, nor is there room, as the small and more con- 

 gregated dots are too close to admit it." In truth, if 

 there is any rehance to be placed in the most accurate 

 figures hitherto published, the small spots of the leopard, 

 and the large ones of the panther, must strike even a 

 casual observer, and lead him to believe that the two 

 animals were called by different names. 



The Panther. 



Fclis Pardus, Linn., Hamilton Smith. Panthere, Cuvier. 

 iFiff.l4.) 



u 



The panther and the leopard, as before observed, re- 

 semble each other so closely, that if professed naturalists 



* Syn. of Mam. y. 163. 



