CHEETA, CHEETAH, CHITA or HUNTING-LEOPARD (Cynae lurus jubatus), a member of the family Felidae, distinguished by its claws being only partially retractile (see CARNIVORA). The cheeta attains a length of 3 to 4 ft.; it is of a pale fulvous colour, marked with numerous spots of black on the upper surface and sides, and is nearly white beneath. The fur is crisp, lacking the sleekness which characterizes the typical cats, and the tail is long and bushy at the tip. The cheeta is found throughout Africa and southern Asia, and has been em ployed for centuries in India and Persia in hunting antelopes and other game. It is taken to the field hooded and chained in a low car without sides. When the game is sufficiently near (within about 200 yards), the cheeta is loosed and proceeds to stalk its prey, finishing with a few gigantic bounds. In India the name cheeta is applied also to the leopard.