116 
THE TAME PANTHER. 
female became so tame as to allow the 
keepers to pat and caress her, and even to 
take pleasure in being noticed. She had one 
mischievous propensity, however,—namely, 
a particular fancy for destroying small arti¬ 
cles of dress, such as hats, muffs, umbrellas, 
and scarfs. These she would snatch with 
the greatest quickness, and then amuse 
herself with tearing them into a hundred 
pieces, all the time as good-natured as pos¬ 
sible. Their food—Avhich was principally 
beef—was usually thrown up in front of 
their den, at least two feet from the bars, 
and they always succeeded in catching it 
before it fell to the ground. 
“There is a very interesting account 
given by Mrs. Bowditch of a panther which 
she brought to England with her, and which 
I will read to you, as it is beautifully told and 
gives a very good idea of the gentleness and 
capacity for attachment of these creatures. 
“ 4 I am induced to give you some account 
of a panther which was in my possession 
for some months. He and another were 
found, when very young, in a forest, appa¬ 
rently deserted by their mother. They 
were taken to the King of Ashantee, in 
