THE LEOPARD. 37 
surface of the body, are irregularly covered with larger 
or smaller, roundish or oval, perfectly black spots ; while 
the whole of the sides of the animal and a portion of his 
tail are occupied by numerous distinct roses, formed by 
the near approach of three or four elongated small black 
spots, which surround a central area, about an inch or 
an inch and a quarter in breadth, of a somewhat deeper 
colour than the ground on which it is placed. There 
are some black lines on the lips, and bands of the same 
colour on the inside of the legs; two or three imperfect 
black -circles, alternating with white, also occur towards 
the extremity of the tail, which is entirely white beneath. 
It would be superfluous to enter into any detail of his 
habits, which correspond but too well with those of his 
fellow cats already described, and are only modified by 
his want of equal power. This deficiency is, however, 
in a great measure supplied by the extreme pliability of 
his spine, which gives to his motions a degree of velocity, 
agility, and precision combined, that is altogether un- 
equalled by any other quadruped, and to which the 
greater lateral compression of his body, the increased 
length and more slender proportions of his limbs, and 
the suppleness of all his joints must of necessity mate- 
rially contribute. , Equally savage, equally dastardly, 
and equally cruel, he closely imitates the manners of 
the Lion and the Tiger, on a somewhat reduced, but still 
formidable, scale. Antilopes, monkeys, and the smaller 
quadrupeds constitute his usual prey, upon which he 
‘darts forth from his secret stand, and which he perti- 
naciously pursues even upon the trees where they may 
have taken refuge, climbing after them with surprising 
agility. Man he generally endeavours, if possible, to 
