CHEESE RENNET. See BEDSTRAW. CHEETA, ehe'tn, CHITA (Hind. rite, from Skt. citra, spotted), or HUNTING-LEOPARD. A large tropical eat ((ynicturlIS 1111,1 i 118) . It forms an aberrant. genus of the Felida., differ ing from Felis prominently by its greater eoni parative length and slenderness of limb. which enables it to run for a short distance with the greatest speed, probably, of any of the larger mammals, and also by the fact that its claws are short, blunt, and almost non-retra•tile. It therefore pursues its prey by chase rather than by stealth, and to these dog-like eharaeteristics adds a docility unusual among eats. It is about the length of the leopard, but stands much higher: in color it varies front tawny to bright rufous, lighter mulerneath. marked everywhere except on the throat with small, solid spots of black, which are neither rosettes nor arranged in lines: the length of the crisp, erectile hair ('Inickles'I on the neck and shoulders is another feature. See Plate of WILD C.trs, under CAT.
'i'ho AVM.,t is distributed over nearly all A frien. but commonly only in the equatorial jungles. and thence sparingly eastward to India. It is in southern India that it is best known. because there it is kept tame and trained by many wealthy natives for the chase of black-buck, etc. The methods of training are described by K pl and Man in India, London. 1891). and result often in producing a harmless household pet. When taken hunting it is driven in a cart, leashed and hooded, so that the sport resembles falconry. As soon as the game is sighted the attendant removes the hood. the
ebeeta, quivering with excitement, understand ing perfectly the meaning of the movement ; and then the freed animal, after a glance to find its prey, rushes forward. overtakes and drags it down; it Will, however. use catlike stealth should circumstances suggest. The game is never brought back, but held by the cheeta, which must lw found quickly and captured—an operation requiring skill, for its native ferocity has been aroused. Having been rewarded with a draught of blood. it is rehooded and confined. The sport I to which the ea raca 1 has occasionally been t rained for the chase of birds) is of very ancient. date. as appears from its depiction on •arlY Assyrian and Egyptian monuments. It was introduced into Europe by returning Crusaders in the Fourteenth ( entury, and thmrished for tWo centuries in Italy and France. For particulars consult ar ticle by J. E. Darting in The. Field (London, De 26. 1885). For general description, see Royal Natural History, Vol. 1.. ( London, 1894) ; for wild habits in Africa: Drummond. Large Game . . . of Southern Africa (London, 1875) : for habits and sport in India, 1Ilanford, Fauna of British Indio [mammals] (London, 1888-91) ; Baker, Wild Beasts and Their Ways (New York, 1890) ; and Sanderson, Wild Beasts of India (London, 1893). Facts and illustra tions relating to its use in sport in the Aliddle Ages may he found in La Croix, If iTurs et usages des ',loge?? ages (6th ed., Paris, 1878).