OEDEE OP OAENIVOEA. 365 



displeasure, and quickly a bleeding victim rolled at the feet of 

 the monster with a human face. Here, the veritable Tiger 

 ■was Nero. 



When raised to the empire, Heliogabalus made his -entry into 

 Rome in a chariot drawn by four Tigers and four Panthers, which 

 he afterwards allowed to go about his palace at liberty. 



But in modern times who has not seen Martin, Carter, or Van, 

 Amburgh, handle Tigers as if they had been inoffensive Poodles ? 

 It may be remarked, with regard to this subject, that a person 

 of rank attended, it is said, every one of the exhibitions given 

 by Martin, expecting to see him some day eaten up. This 

 follower of the sensational did not obtain the satisfaction his 

 persistency so well merited : Martin and his animals refused to 

 favour him. After amassing a considerable fortune, the famous 

 tamer disposed of his menagerie and retired to Holland, without 

 leaving the smallest portion of himself between the teeth of his 

 old companions. 



Panther {Felis leopardus). — The Panther is a pretty animal, 

 about three feet in length, not including the tail, and is distin- 

 guished from the preceding Felidfe by its deep yeUowish-brown 

 coat, speckled with numerous spots. These spots, quite black on 

 the head, are disposed in a rose-like fashion over the other parts 

 of the body, being formed of five or six little black patches 

 grouped in a circular manner around a piece which is of the 

 same colour as the ground of the coat. 



For a long time, and even sometimes now-a-days, the Panther 

 has been frequently confounded with the Leopard, to which cer- 

 tainly it bears a great resemblance. From this error has arisen 

 grave contradictions as to its history, and much uncertainty with 

 regard to the limits of its habitat. 



It appears to be demonstrated, however, that the veritable 

 Panther is not found in Africa, but only in India, Japan, 

 and the neighbouring islands, such as Java, Sumatra, &c. 

 The island of Java possesses a variety which is completely 

 black. This is the famous Black Panther, the terror of Java 

 and Sumatra. 



"We here engrave (Fig. 140) the Asiatic Panther, which some- 

 times bears the scientific name of the Japan Leopard {Leopardus 

 japonicus) . 



