FEUS. 219 



Leopardus chinensis, Gray P. Z. S., p. 264 (1867) j id. Cat. Carn. Mamm, 



p.ii. 

 Leopardus pardus, Cray P. Z. S., p. 263 (1867) ; id. Cat. Carn, Mamm. 



p. 10. 



The Leopard or Panther; Tendwa, Chita, Chitabagh, Sher, Gor- 

 bacha, Hind ; Beyhewe, Tahirhay, Segabaga, Ghurbag, Dheer hay, 

 in the Himalayas ; Asnee, Beebeerbagh, Mahrat.; Honiga, Kegkal, 

 Canarese; Chinnapulli, Telegu; Burkel bille of Gonds; Sik, 

 Tibetan ; Cooteal, Singalese ; Kyamai, Keythit, Burmese. 



Distribution. — Africa generally, Asia Minor (Alston), Persia 

 (Blanford), Baluchistan (Murray), India, Assam, Ceylon (Kela- 

 art). Lower Burma, Upper Burma (Anderson), Malay Peninsula 

 (Cantor), Sumatra and Java (Temminck), South China (Swinhoe); 

 North China (Swinhoe, Gray and Milne Edwards). 



In India the leopard seems to be generally distributed from 

 Sind (Murray) and the Himalayas throughout at moderate eleva- 

 tions to the extreme south. 



There is a very large series of leopards' skulls in the Museum, 

 and from an examination of these it is manifest that no real speci- 

 fic distinction can be drawn between the so-called Leopard and 

 Panther. 



The skulls of the Leopard differ enormously in size, so that at 

 first it seemed possible to separate them into two groups, a larger 

 and smaller ; further examination, however, showed that there was 

 a perfect gradation between the two extremes as the following 

 measurements will show ; Nos. i and 2 were the two extremes of 

 the panthers, i.e., larger variety, Nos. 3 and 4 of the leopard or 

 smaller variety : — 



Measurements in inches. 



. iL ,• 1 T 11. 13 1 1 1 11, Width of brain- , 



In the list. Length. Palate length. ^^gg^ Lower jaw, 



1. "r" 770 375 3'io S'go 



2. " a " 6'9S 350 270 S'23 



3. "/" 6-40 3-30 2-so 47S 



4. " e^ " S 80 2'8o 2-45 4-20 



These measurements on being reduced to a common base, i.e., 

 the total length of the skull being taken as 100, show that there 

 is a progressive increase in the width of the brain-case, as the skull 

 decreases in length, which is the character that has been given for 

 the leopard's skull as opposed to the panther. 



