168 
THE STORY OF THE LEOPARD. 
Next to the tiger in India, and to the lion in Africa, the leopard is the 
most formidable flesh-eating animal to be found in either country. In its 
habits it differs essentially from both the lion and the tiger in that it is 
thoroughly at home in trees, running up a straight-stemmed and smooth- 
barked trunk with the speed and agility of a monkey. Moreover, the leop¬ 
ard is a much more active animal than the tiger, frequently taking tremen¬ 
dous leaps and springs. The Indian leopard, although its powers of offense 
are far inferior to those of the tiger, is in some respects a more dangerous 
animal, as it is roused with less provocation, and is more •courageous in 
attacking those who disturb its repose. The favorite resorts of the Indian 
leopard are rocky hills covered with scrub, among which it seeks secure 
hiding in caves and under overhanging masses of rock. From strongholds 
such as these the leopard in Southern and Central India watch the sur¬ 
rounding country towards sunset, and descend with astonishing celerity and 
stealth, under cover of the rocks, to cut off any straggling animal among 
the herds or flocks on their return to the village at nightfall. From their 
habit of lurking in the vicinity of the habitations of man, to prey upon cattle, 
ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, and dogs, leopards are frequently brought 
into collision with Indian villagers; and a leopard being mobbed in a garden,, 
or field of sugar-cane or standing corn, from which he will charge several 
times, and bite and claw half a dozen before he is despatched or makes his 
escape, is no uncommon occurrence in India, 
This partiality of the leopard for dogs seems to be characteristic of the 
animal from one end of India to the other, and there are many instances on 
record where leopards in the hill-stations have swooped down in broad day¬ 
light and carried off pet dogs from before the very eyes of their European 
masters or mistresses. It is but rarely that leopards take to man-eating, but 
instances do occur, one of which came under my notice some years ago, 
when a leopard carried off a considerable number of persons from a village in 
Kashmir. In Africa the general habits of the leopard appear to be very 
much the same as in India, Sir Samuel Baker relating how, on one occasion, 
a dog was carried off from the very middle of his camp by one of these 
marauders. 
The leopard has often been tamed, and, indeed, almost domesticated, 
being permitted to range the house at will, greatly to the consternation of 
strange visitors. This complete state of docility can, however, only take 
place in an animal which has either been born in captivity, or taken at so 
early an age that its savage propensities have never had time to expand. 
