THE LEOPARD . 
141 
of the distinct spottings of the ordinary Leopard. These were a mixed breed between the 
Black Leopard and the Leopard of Africa. The black variety of this animal is fonnd in J ava, 
and has by some authors been considered as a separate species under the title of “Felis 
(Leopardus) melas,” the latter word being a Greek term, signifying “black.” 
The strength of the Leopard is marvellous when compared with its size. One of these 
animals crept by night into the very midst of a caravan, seized two wolf -greyhounds that were 
fastened to one of the tent pegs, tore up the peg to which they were tethered, and although 
both the dogs were linked together, and were of that powerful breed which is used for the 
pursuit of wolves and other fierce game, the Leopard dragged them clean out of the camp and 
carried them for some three hundred yards through dense thorny underwood. A pursuit was 
immediately set on foot, and the dogs rescued from the daring foe. To one of them aid came 
too late, for its skull was literally smashed by a blow from the Leopard’s paw. The same 
animal had sprung upon and killed a goat which was picketed in the midst of the numerous 
servants that accompany an European. 
Another Leopard committed an act of audacity which very much resembled the exploit of 
the roof-clinging Leopard mentioned before in these pages. 
In a native hut some goats were kept, and as night had drawn on, the human inhabitants 
of the hut were beneath the shelter of their own roof. A Leopard which was prowling about, 
and was probably attracted either by the bleating or the scent of the goats, clambered up the 
low walls of the hut, and tearing away with his claws the fragile thatch, leaped into the middle 
of the room. In this case, the Leopard fared well enough, for the terrified inhabitants were 
without arms, and as soon as they saw the unexpected visitor come tumbling through the roof, 
they hid themselves like so many lean Falstaffs, in some wicker corn baskets that were 
standing in the hut, leaving the Leopard to his own device's and in full possession of the 
ground. 
The Leopard has a curious and ingenious habit of obtaining a meal. He pays a visit to 
some village, and taking up a convenient post, at some little distance, sets up a loud and con- 
tinuous growling. 
The pariah dogs, which swarm in every village, present a curious contradiction of 
qualities. At the sound of a Leopard’s voice they will rush furiously to the spot, uttering 
their yelling barks, as if they meant to eat up the enemy on the spot. But when they come 
to close quarters, self-preservation obtains the upper hand, and they run away as fast as they 
had appeared, turning again and baying at their foe as soon as they see that he is not pursuing 
them. These habits render them of invaluable assistance to the hunter, who employs the pariah 
dogs to point out the locality of his fierce quarry, and to distract its attention when found. 
So at the sound of the angry growl, out rush the pariahs towards the spot from whence 
the sounds proceeded, yelping as if they would split their throats by the exertion. To draw 
the dogs away from the protecting vicinity of man is just the object of the concealed Leopard, 
who springs from his hiding place upon one of the foremost dogs, and bounds away into the 
woods with his spoil. 
Fond as is the Leopard of well wooded districts, it appears to have a distaste for trees 
around which there is no underwood. The long grass jungle which is so favored by the tiger, 
is no way suited to the habits of the Leopard ; so that if the hunter seeks for tigers, his best 
chance of success is by directing his steps to the grass jungles, while, if Leopards are the 
objects of his expedition, he is nearly sure to find them among wooded places where the trees 
are planted among underwood reaching some seven or eight feet in height. 
When a Leopard is “treed,” i. e. driven to take refuge in a tree, it displays great skill in 
selecting a spot where it shall be concealed so far as possible from the gazers below, and even 
when detected, covers its body so well behind the branches, that it is no easy matter to obtain 
a clear aim at a fatal spot. Its favorite arboreal resting places are at the junction of the larger 
limbs with the trunk, or where a large bough gives off several smaller branches. The Leopard 
does not take to water so readily as the tiger, and appears to avoid entering a stream unless 
pressed by hunger or driven into the water by his pursuers. When fairly in the water, however, 
the Leopard is a very tolerable swimmer, and can cross even a wide river without difficulty. 
