THE LEOPAED OR PANTHER. 65 



wto was playing in the stable, but fortunately the design of the 

 beast was seen in time for the impending fatahtj to be prevented. 



A specimen of the black species that was on exhibition in the 

 Zoological Gardens, Kegent's Park, a few years ago, caught through 

 the bars of its cage, a young boy about nine years of age, and 

 severely tore him about the scalp and face with its claws ; on his 

 being conveyed to the hospital it was found that the wounds were 

 long, and extended down to the bone. His brother-in-law, who was 

 with him, was also severely scratched, and was afterwards mentally 

 and bodily prostrated from his exertions in rescuing the child, whose 

 preservation from death, or worse mutilation than he received, was 

 due to the efforts made on his behalf by his companion, who was 

 fortunately able to thrust his umbrella repeatedly down the 

 animal's throat, and, after a struggle of twenty or thirty seconds' 

 duration, to make it relax its hold, which it then did, and the lad 

 fell to the ground and was immediately carried away. 



Another leopard, which was a well-known pet of the Tower 

 Menagerie during the time that Mr. Oops had charge of the 

 establishment, used to cause great destruction of property and 

 a general trepidation among the sight-seers of the fair sex by 

 " evincing a predilection for the destruction of umbrellas, parasols, 

 muffs, hats, and such other articles of dress as might happen to 

 come within her reach, seizing them with the greatest quickness 

 and tearing them into pieces almost before the astonished visitor 

 had become aware of his or her loss. To so great an extent had she 

 carried on this peculiar taste that the keeper declared that he has 

 no doubt that during her residence in the Tower she has made 

 a prey of at least as many of these articles as there are days in 

 the year." 



Topsell writes in /'Ye History of Four-footed Beasts," 

 " that these animals were dedicated to Bacchus, partly on account 

 of being spotted, but the chief cause ' was for their love of wine;' 

 for all writers do constantly, and with one assent affirm that they 

 drink wine unto drunkenness: the manner and end thereof is 

 elegantly described by Oppianus in this sort: 'When the in- 

 habitants of Lybia do observe some little fountain arising out of 

 the sand, and faUing down again (as in the manner of small springs 



