588 Great and Small Game of Africa 



elevations. The ground-colour of the fur is tawny yellow, often with a 

 strong rufous tinge ; the spots are black or dark brown, simple in form, 

 and distributed over all the body except the throat ; towards the end of 

 the tail they form broken rings. Under parts and tail-tip white. A black 

 stripe runs from the lower corner of the eye to the upper lip, but I have 

 never seen one from the upper corner to the ear, as in some Indian 

 specimens. The average length of the male is 7 feet over all, from tip to 

 tip, the tail occupying about 2 feet 7 inches ; shoulder height, 2 feet 

 8 inches to 10 inches ; girth, 30 inches. Cheeta cubs are warm gray or 

 grayish fawn, with only a few indistinct spots on the lower limbs ; their 

 fur is long and woolly. They are very easily tamed, and make charming 

 pets. Cheetas are very silent animals. I have never heard them utter a 

 sound when prowling ; but, if alarmed at close quarters, they break away 

 with hoarse grunts, and growl querulously when at bay. The cubs often 

 make a peculiar whistling sound. 



Cheetas are by no means so rare in South Africa as many writers would 

 have us believe, and I have encountered many at different times. They 

 are numerous in the Transvaal, amongst the foot-hills of the Drakensberg 

 Mountains, and in the low country, particularly so between the Oliphants 

 and Letaba Rivers. They range throughout parts of Cape Colony, Bechuana- 

 land, Swaziland, and Gazaland, but I have not yet met them north of the 

 Zambesi. 1 They are not strictly nocturnal, for I have seen them hunting 

 at all hours of the day. On one occasion, when I had off-saddled in the 

 low country at mid-day, a pair of them tried to stalk my own horse and that 

 of my after-rider, but we awoke from our nap in time to prevent them 

 from executing their plan. If they have killed, they will readily feast 

 during the day. Their lairs are made amongst rocks or grass-jungle. 

 They usually hunt in couples, but I have seen parties of four, five, and six. 

 They prey upon antelopes, and, when near native villages, upon calves, 



1 They arc found in other parts of Africa.— En. 



