568 Great and Small Game of Africa 



they often reached enormous weights. It is alleged that lions weighing 

 630 lbs. have been killed, and that 600 lbs. is not unusual. The Algerian 

 lion was usually extremely fat, living on as much mutton as he could eat. 

 The lions in Algeria generally couple in January ; the litter consists of one, 

 two, or three cubs, more usually two. The cubs are said often to die during 

 teething, after they are three months old. The cub-marking, except the 

 dorsal stripe, disappears at about ten months. The mane of the lions begins 

 to grow at three years of age, and is complete at about six years. 



A. E. Pease. 



The Leopard (Felts pardus) 



Tiger of South African Colonists ; Tijger of the Boers ; Ingwe of 

 Zulus, Swazis, Matabele, and Matonga ; Inkwc of the 

 Bechuanas and Basuto ; Siveri of the Alomwe (Mozambique 

 Province) ; Nyalug-wi of the Manganja and Lower Zambesi 

 Natives. 



Only one species of leopard is found throughout Africa, 1 though in- 

 dividuals vary much in size, coloration, and to a less degree in habits. 

 The ground-colour of the fur is usually pale rufous buff, sometimes with a 

 deep orange tinge ; it is paler on the flanks, and the throat, chest, inner 

 sides of limbs, and long under fur are white. The spots vary in size and 

 number ; those of the upper parts of the body take the form of incomplete 

 rosettes (quatrefoil and trefoil) encircling a bright central area of richer 

 colour than the ground fur. Elsewhere they are of simple form, small and 

 numerous on head, neck, and lower limbs, large and scattered on chest, 

 flanks, and under parts. Ears black at the base, buff-tipped. Towards the end 

 of the tail the spots form more or less complete rings, the tip being always 

 black. Leopard cubs are pale grayish fawn, with longer and more woolly 



1 Leopards are still found in most parts of Cape Colony and are occasionally killed among the 

 mountains, within thirty or forty miles of Cape Town.— El). 



