The Leopard 



S69 



fur and ill-defined markings. In November 1888 I shot a leopard more 

 nearly approaching a melanoid than any I have yet seen from Africa. The 

 fur was dark Vandyke-brown, with a surprisingly rich orange gloss, spots 

 either black or sepia-brown, but barely distinguishable in some places ; ears 

 without the usual buff tips. Two leopards exhibiting strong traces of 

 melanism have been killed in the Cape Colony, one near Albany, the other 

 near Grahamstown. The typical hill and low-country leopards present 

 the extremes of variation, the gradual transition from one to the other 

 being displayed in the more numerous intermediate forms. The former, 

 inhabiting mountain ranges, foot-hills, and dark wooded kloofs, averages 

 6 feet 5 inches in total length, of which the tail is about 2 feet 10 inches, 

 shoulder height 2 feet 5 inches, girth behind shoulders 2 feet 8 inches, 

 girth of forearm 1 1 inches. The fur is dark and rich in colour, and the 

 spots on the back, between neck and root of tail, more or less confluent, 

 forming broken bars. The low-country leopard is a long gaunt brute 

 averaging 6 feet 10 inches in length, tail 2 feet 6 or 7 inches, head round 

 and heavy, limbs long, shoulder height 2 feet 7 inches, girth 2 feet 4 inches, 

 fore-arm 10 inches. Fur short and sleek, pale fawn, spots distinct and 

 widely separated. I have shot some fine beasts amongst the many I have 

 encountered. The following are dimensions of two of my best : — 



tip to tip in a 

 straight line. 



Length over all 



ShonUer 



Cirth of 



Girth 



Girth of 



Length of 



Zyym.iiK 

 (of skull). 



Weight 



6 ft. 1 1 in. 

 6„ 9 „ 



7 ft. 7 in. 

 7 ,> 2 „ 



2 ft. 7 in. 



20 „ 



35i '»■ 



33i „ 



12* in. 



glin. 

 9 ,1 



6* in. 



5} „ 



I lb. 8 OZ. 



Leopards are distributed throughout the greater part of Africa 



wherever the country is suitable to their habits — rough hill country 



intersected by deep kloofs, grass plains and thin forest, and thickly matted 



jungle or river-banks ; in all such places, if there is sufficient small game 



4 D 



