THE LEOPARD. 



137 



these animals, the lion being the father and the Tigress the mother. The lion had been born 

 and bred in captivity, and the Tigress had been captured at a very early age, so that the 

 natural wildness of their character had been effaced by their captive life, in which they felt no 

 need to roam after living prey, as their daily sustenance was always forthcoming. 



Unlike the Tiger, which is confined to the Asiatic portion of the world, the Leopard is 

 found in Africa as well as in Asia, and is represented in America by the Jaguar, or, perhaps, 

 more rightly, by the Puma. 



This animal is one of the most graceful of the graceful tribe of cats, and, although far less 

 in dimensions than the tiger, challenges competition with that animal in the beautiful mark- 

 ings of its fur, and the easy elegance of its movements. It is possessed of an accomplishment 

 which is not within the powers of the lion or tiger, being able to climb trees with singular 



LEOPARD.— Leopardus antiquorum. 



agility, and even to chase the tree-loving animals among their familiar haunts. On account 

 of this power, it is called by the natives of India "Lakree-baug," or Tree-tiger. Even in 

 Africa it is occasionally called a "Tiger," a confusion of nomenclature which is quite bewil- 

 dering to a non-zoologist, who may read in one book that there are no tigers in Africa, and in 

 another, may peruse a narrative of a tiger hunt at the Cape. Similar mistakes are made with 

 regard to the American felidse, not to mention the numerous examples of mis-called animals 

 that are insulted by false titles in almost every part of the globe. For, in America, the Puma 

 is popularly known by the name of the Lion, or the Panther, or "Painter," as the American 

 forester prefers to call it, while the Jaguar is termed the "Tiger." 



In Africa, the Leopard is well known and much dreaded, for it possesses a most crafty 

 brain, as well as an agile body and sharp teeth and claws. It commits sad depredations on 

 flocks and herds, and has sufficient foresight to lay up a little stock of provisions for a future 

 day. A larder belonging to a Leopard was once discovered in the forked branches of a tree, 

 some ten feet or so from the ground. Several pieces of meat were stowed away in this novel 

 receptacle, and hidden from sight by a mass of leaves piled upon them. 



"When attacked, it will generally endeavor to slink away, and to escape the observation 

 of its pursuers ; but, if it is wounded, and finds no mode of eluding its foes, it becomes furious, 



