THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



the skin, the spots not even' showing through the black." From 

 the photograph exhibited of the skin of this specimen, it would 

 appear that, except the underneath, the entire surface must have 

 been almost black. Although it is very difficult to get two 

 skms altogether matching in colour, we have never observed (at 

 least in the Interior of South Africa) any so strongly marked 

 differences as the two above described. 



The Cheetah {Cyncelurus jiibatus).—Teegre of the Dutch; 

 'Nkwai of the Bechuanas. 



\_Appearance strongly distinguished from the common Leopard. 

 Body very much elongated; legs long, betraying little appearance of 

 strength; skull very high in proportion to length of head ; fur woolly 

 in appearance.^ particularly underneath. General colour^ bright 

 rufous fawn, almost pure white beneath neck and belly .^ and except in 

 the latter parts .^ the surface is marked with numerous uniform black 

 spots, round on the back, and becoming more irregular in shape and 

 less conspicuous further down; mane fairly developed; tail curled, 

 long, and bushy at the extremity ; pupils of eyes circular and not 

 oblong ; a distinguishing black mark between the eye and corner op 

 inouth.'\ 



This species is probably extinct in Natal, and nearly so in the Cape 

 Colony, its presence being occasionally reported from one or two 

 districts in the extreme North-west. A few still remain in the 

 North and North-east of the Transvaal in unoccupied places. In 

 the waterless portions of the Kalahari — ^where it is supposed to quench 

 its thirst with the blood of its victims — and in the lower independent 

 native territories of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, it is a little 

 more common. It may be met with in flat bush-covered districts 

 throughout South-central Africa, but it cannot be said to be any- 

 where very plentiful ; indeed, it is somewhat an unusual occurrence 

 to come across one at all. Although a good many skins are yearly 

 brought from the interior by traders, they are mostly from animals 

 that have been trapped by natives. The prey of the Cheetah chiefly 

 consists of the smaller antelopes and the young of the larger Hares, 

 spring hares {Helamys capensis) and Guinea Fowl. The only 

 damage sustained by human beings from its depredations is the 

 occasional lifting of a stray sheep, goat, or calf ; and it is only on 

 rare occasions that one attempts to enter a cattle kraal. In fact, as 



