LEOPARD.
Pau, Ching, . . . CHIN. I sim, . TUNGUS.
Several distinct species of leopard are known.
Felis leopardus, Sekreb., the leopard or cheeta of India. F. pardus, the pard or panther or gorbacha of the Dekhan.
F. diardi, Dem., clouded leopard of India and Malayana.
F. jubata, maned leopard or hunting leopard of India. F. melas, Peron, black cheeta of India and Malayana. F. pardochrous, Hodgs., of Nepal and Tibet.
F. Horsfieldii, Gray, of Darjiling.
F. Javanensis, Deane., of Sumatra, Borneo, Java. F. Sumatranus, Horst., of Sumatra.
Latterly, naturalists have regarded the F.
leopardus and F. pardus as varieties of the same animal ; and Horsfield and Judo!' say the black leopard, F. melas, Peron et Lesneur, is now uniformly admitted to be a black variety of F. pardus. Most Indian sportsmen, however, regard them as distinct, though black and yellow cubs are said to have been seen following a female yellow leopard, and the black leopard is of a more vicious temper.
Panther. — There is undoubtedly in British India a large and a small leopard, the larger variety being commonly called the panther.
F. pardus, Hodge. I F. leopardus, Temm. Tendwa of . . Bowur. Adnam, . . . . HIND. Honiga, . . . . CAN. Amen, . . . . Mann.
Barkal, . . . GDNIM. Leopard of . . . SYKES. Bay-hira of . HIMALAYA. Chinnn puli, . . TEL 'fakir-hay Sik, Tin Chita, Chita bag, . limn.
It is found throughout India, in the more open country, near low hills and ravines. It is from 4 to 5 feet long, tail 21 to n, total about Gi to 81 feet. They destroy deer, occasionally kill and carry off cattle and ponies, not unfrequently carry off children, also old women. Sir 1Valter Elliot says an instance occurred of four men being killed by one before it could be destroyed.
Leopard, or smaller variety.
Fells leopardus, Hodgs. 1 F. pardus, Tenant. F. lougicaudata, Valera.
I Bible of . . . Bowur. 1 Bibla-bagh, . . . DIAita. Corbacha, . . . DUNI'. Gbur-hay, . . . SIMLA. Borbacha, . . . „ Dhir-hay, . . . „ This is smaller than the other, with a round bull dog head. It seizes on dogs, sheep, goats, deer, monkeys, peafowl. It is more abundant in forest countries, in Malabar, 1Vynad, Gumsur, in the woody parts of the Himalaya and Malay Penin sula. It is stealthy, not unfrequently attacks
man, and has been known to carry off men who were watching grain at night.
Black leopard.
F. melas, Peron. I F. perniger, Hodgson.
It is found throughout British India, but sparingly in a forest country. It is of a uniform dull-black colour. On one occasion, when shifting the tigers and leopards of the Government Central Museum from one cage to another, a black leopard leaped violently against the doorway, which it forced open, and escaped into the garden, creeping close to the low hedge. It was followed up for about fifty yards, but it turned on the Editor, who backed and leaped to the top of a wall five feet high, followed by the black leopard, which sprang from the ground, but was caught in the leap by a blow on the head, from which it fell at the foot of the wall stunned. It was restored to its den, and recovered from its insensibility on the follow ing day, but on the twelfth day it was killed by a panther in the same den. It had a vile temper.
Felis jubata, Linn., hunting leopard.
F. guttata. I F. venatica.
Chirchn, Chirtsa, . CAN. Yuz, Hindustani of tho . . . . „ trainers.
Cheetn, . . . . DUK.11.
They are caught in the Southern Idaltratta trict, and are trained to kill the Antelope capra. They are taught always to single out the buck, which is generally the last in the herd. The huntsmen are unwilling to slip until they get the ...
herd to run across them, when they drive on the cart and unhood the cheeta.
The leopards and panthers have been variously named by naturalists. L. Chinensis, Gray, L. Ellioti, Gray, L. Reevesii, Gray, and L incon Gray, are synonyms of Fells Bengalensis, Desmoulins. And F. pardochrous, Hodgs., L. dosul, Hodgs., is Fells marmorata. Marlin, Myth. L. Sumatranus, Gray, is F. leopardus Sumatranus, Horsf. ; L. varins, Gray, is F. perdu, Linn.; L. viverrinus, Gray, is F. leopardus viverrinus, Bennett. The panther and the leopard are used in Chinese .lerdon's Mammals; Adams; Ilorsjield's Catalogue, E.L C'. Museum; Toluenes Ceylon, pp. 25-29.