143 
THE OUNCE 
insult, so tlie Leopard improved Ms amusement by lying on the bracket in such a manner, that 
both its lore paws were at liberty. As the lion passed and repassed below, the Leopard struck 
the tail-tuft first to one side, and then to the other, so that it enjoyed two blows at the lion’s 
tail instead of one. The lion, however, disdained to take the least notice, and the Leopard 
continued its amusement until the keeper put an end to the game by entering the cage, and 
commencing the performances afresh. 
There are two titles for this animal ; namely, the Leopard, and Panther, both of which 
creatures are now acknowledged to be but slight varieties of the same species. The Ounce, 
however, which was once thought to be but a longer haired variety of the Leopard, is now 
known to be truly a separate species. 
In general appearance it bears a very close resemblance to the leopard, but may be distin- 
guished from that animal by the greater fullness and roughness of its fur, as well as by some 
variations in the markings with which it is decorated. From the thickness of its furry gar- 
ment, it is supposed to be an inhabitant of more mountainous and colder districts than the 
OUNCE . — Leopardus uncia. 
leopard. The rosette-like spots which appear on its body are not so sharply defined as those 
of the leopard ; there is a large black spot behind the ears. The spots exhibit a certain ten 
dency to form stripes, and the tail is exceedingly bushy when compared with that of a leopard 
of equal size. The general color of the body is rather paler than that of the leopard, being a 
grayish white, in which a slight yellow tinge is perceptible, and, as is usual with most animals, 
the upper parts of the body are darker than the lower. The Ounce is an inhabitant of some 
parts of Asia, and specimens of this fine animal have been brought from the shores of the 
Persian Gulf. In size, it equals the ordinary leopard of Asia or Africa. 
The feline animals which have hitherto been described belong to the African and Asiatic 
continents, with their neighboring islands. Passing to the New World, we find the feline 
races well represented by several most beautiful and graceful creatures, of which the Jaguab 
is the largest and most magnificent example. 
Closely resembling the leopard in external appearance, and in its arboreal habits, it seems 
to play the same part in America as the leopard in the transatlantic continents. It is a larger 
animal than the leopard, and may be distinguished from that animal by several characteristic 
differences. 
