38 WILD ANIMAL CELEBRITIES 



men but not nearly so fine as Chang was. 

 Many Naturalists tell us that in disposition 

 the snow leopard is far more gentle and ami- 

 able than the ordinary leopard, or the black 

 leopard, and that it has rarely been known 

 to molest a human being. Of course, I can- 

 not presume to say this is or is not so, never 

 having studied creatures in their native 

 haunts, but all those I have seen in captivity 

 most certainly do not appear to be either gen- 

 tle or amiable and I have personally known 

 of many instances where they have shown a 

 decided disposition to fly at human beings. 



For instance, Eng shows every sign of a 

 vicious and fierce nature and, when I have 

 been standing in front of his cage, has opened 

 his mouth to its widest extent, hissed and 

 sworn at me, while his cruel eyes have 

 changed color in the most curious and fer- 

 ocious manner. Sometimes his face will 

 wrinkle up into a snarl, or sneer, and then he 

 will come forward, sometimes with a quiet, 

 stealthy tread; at others with a marvelously 

 quick, light spring; but there is always the 



