THE CHETAH, OR HUNTING LEOPARD. 67 
of a herd of antelopes, which generally consists of five or 
six females and a male, they are unchained and their 
hoods are removed, their keepers directing their attention 
to the prey, which, as they do not hunt by smell, it is 
necessary that they should have constantly in sight. — 
When this is done, the wily animal does not at once 
start forwards towards the object of his pursuit, but, 
seemingly aware that he would have no chance of over- 
taking an antelope in the fleetness of the race, in which 
the latter is beyond measure his superior, winds cauti- 
ously along the ground, concealing himself as much as 
possible from sight, and, when he has in this covert 
manner nearly reached the unsuspecting herd, breaks 
forth upon them unawares, and after five or six tremen- 
dous bounds, which he executes with almost incredible 
velocity, darts at once upon his terrified victim, strangles 
him in an instant, and takes his fill of blood. In the 
meanwhile the keeper quietly approaches the scene of 
slaughter, caresses the successful animal, and throws to 
him pieces of meat to amuse him and keep him quiet 
while he blinds him with the hood and replaces' him 
upon the chariot, to which he is again attached by his 
chain. But if, as is not unfrequently the case, the herd 
should have taken the alarm, and the Chetah should 
prove unsuccessful in his attack, he never attempts to 
pursue them, but returns to his master with a mortified 
and dejected air, to be again let slip at a fresh quarry 
whenever a fit opportunity occurs. 
The Chetah has been until of late years very imper- 
fectly known in Europe. Linnzus was entirely unac- 
quainted with it, and Buffon described it from the fur 
alone under the name of Guépard, the appellation by 
ROD 
EF 4 
