94 WILD ANIMALS. 



feeling of mistrust which, is so strikingly visible in the manners 

 and actions of all the cats, and which renders them so little 

 susceptible of real or lasting attachment. The cheetahs, on the 

 contrary, speedily become fond of those who are kind to them, and 

 exhibit their fondness in an open, frank, and confiding manner. 

 There can, in fact, be little doubt that they might with the greatest 

 facility be reduced to a state of perfect domestication, and rendered 

 nearly as familiar and as faithful as the dog himself." 



Dr. Brehm ^ used to keep a tame cheetah that was so docile it 

 was frequently introduced in the drawing-room for ladies to pat and 

 caress, and he states that one was allowed to roam about the 

 streets of an English seaport, where it was a great favourite with 

 the sailors and workmen, who uSed to feed it. It afibrde'd amuse- 

 ment to the whole town, but the coldness of the climate affected 

 its health and it soon died. 



There are exceptional specimens, howeverj and accidents have 

 happened by placing too much confidence in the harmless character 

 even of these animalsj for " Smoothbore," writing to the Field in 

 May, 1880i, describes a death through wounds inflicted by a 

 trained cheetah : " A sad occurrence is reported from Madras, 

 resulting in the death of one gentleman and serious injury to 

 another. Messrs. 0. B. Irvine, acting coUectoi* of Yizagapatam, 

 and Mr. Willock, also a civilian, went out with the ilajah of 

 Yizcanagrum to hunt antelope with a hunting cheetah. The 

 animal proved sulky and would not hunt, so Mr. Irvine proposed 

 they should hunt it. The cheetah was enlarged and was soon lost 

 sight of I but, whilst the party was following it Up, the cheetah 

 suddenly sprang from behind a bush, where it was crouching, on 

 Mr. Irvine, injuring him severely-, Mr^ Willock came to his 

 assistance, but he also was speedily rendered hors de combat. The 

 result was that Mr. Irvine died within a couple of days, and for 

 some time it was thought Mr. Willock would lose his foot. By 

 the last accounts^ however, Mr. Willock was recovering^ Mr. 

 Irvine's death is universally regretted, as he was well known and 

 a general favourite throughout the Presidency. I have never 

 heard of an accident of this sort before. The hunting cheetah 



* " La Vie des Animaux." 



