144 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



Of the Old-world Cats the Leopard comes next in point of size to 

 the Lion and Tiger, and its beautiful spotted coat is well known. 

 It is a deceitful beast in captivity, and is not to be trusted, the Lion, 

 curious to relate, being the best in this respect of the three species 

 just mentioned. 



For a long time it was thought that the " Panther " of India was 

 a distinct animal, but it is now regarded as "a big, finely-developed 

 Leopard . . . such animals being naturally more inclined to attack 

 large prey than the smaller and more Cat-like individuals which are 

 the typical Leopards." 



The ochre-yellow skin of this animal is richly ornamented with 

 small and large black annular spots, and it is said that when the 

 beast is reposing in the jungle its coat resembles the play of the 

 sunbeams and the circular shadows of the leaves. The Leopard, 

 however, varies both in size and colour. Sometimes the spots are 

 fawn-colour instead of black, and almost wholly black varieties are 

 met with. These so-called Black Leopards are almost entirely 

 absent from Africa, and seem to occur for the most part in the 

 Malay Peninsula and the surrounding islands. 



The Leopard is an easily satisfied beast. It frequents both the 

 forest and rocky ground; unlike the Tiger it is a splendid climber, 

 and does not care for water to anything like the same extent. Its 

 diet is a differential one, such animals as Birds, Monkeys, Cattle, 

 Dogs, Bush Pigs, Antelopes, etc., falling a prey to its daring. It 

 is a bolder beast even than the Tiger, and when it does attack man 

 the results are appalling, one famous Leopard in India having been 

 known to kill no less than two hundred human beings before it 

 was dispatched ! 



Like its near relative, the Tiger, the animal under review is of 

 solitary disposition, and is commoner, more cunning and versatile. 

 Mr. Frank Finn says that it "has a most peculiar call, very like 

 the sound produced by cutting wood with a coarse saw." 



It will be remembered that mention was made earlier in this 

 chapter of the method adopted by both the Lion and Tiger as to the 

 commencement of a meal. The Leopard differs from its first-cousins 

 by seizing its prey by the throat and beginning to feed at the fore 

 instead of the hind-quarters ; in this way the slayer of the prey may 

 be identified. 



Mention may be made of the Ounce, or Snow Leopard, of Central 

 Asia, whose long fur is white, clouded with grey, and having irregu- 



