JELIS UNOU. 101 



have been bo universally applied to the present species, that it would be 

 vain to attempt to restore these names to their legitimate owner. 



« 



106. Felis uncia. 



ScHREBEB. — BiYTH, Cat. 174, Syuops. 5. — Hodgson, J. A. S. XI. 

 274. — F. uncioides, Hodgson. — F. pardus apud Pallas. — F. irhis, 

 Ehrbnberg. — Iher, Tibetan. — Sdh, Bhot. — Pdhle, Lepch. — Burrel hay 

 of, the Simla hills. — Thwrwag in Kunawur. — Snow leopard of sports- 

 men. 



The Ounce. 



Descr. — Ground color pale yellowish-gray ; head, cheeks and back 

 of neck, covered with small irregular dark spots, gradually changing 

 posteriorly on the back and sides into dark rings, running in lines on the 

 back, but irregularly distributed on the shoulders, sides and haunch ; from 

 the middle of the back to near the root of the tail on the median line is 

 an irregular dark band, closely bordered on each side by a chain of oblong 

 rings almost confluent ; limbs with small dark spots ; lower parts pale 

 dingy yellowish-white, with some large dark spots about the middle of 

 the abdomen, the rest imspotted ; ears externally black at the base, the 

 tip yellow with a black edge; tail very long, thick and bushy, with 

 incomplete broad bands, or with a double row of large black patches, 

 unspotted below. 



Length head and body 4 feet 4 inches ; tail 3 feet ; height at shoulder 

 barely 2 feet. 



The fur throughout is very dense, add it has a well marked though 

 short mane. 



The snow leopard, as it is popularly called by sportsmen in the hills, 

 is found throughout the Himalayas at a great elevation, never very 

 much below the snows, at elevations varying with the season, from 9,000 to 

 18,000 feet. It is said to be more common on the Tibetan side of the 

 Himalayas ; and it is found throughout the highland region of chiefly 

 Central Asia, but extending as far west as Smyrna. 



The description above was taken from a fine specimen procured in 

 Sikim. It is stated to frequent rocky ground, and to kill the barrhel, 

 wild sheep, hence one of its hill names ; also thdr, domestic sheep, goats 

 and dogs ; but has never been known to attack man. 



