LeopardThe Leopard.Thisanimal, a handsome, but fierce member of the great family of cats, is smaller than either the lion or the tiger. Its skin is very beautiful, being spotted with large ocellated black spots on a light ground, which sometimes approaches to a bright yellow color. The leopard is remarkably lithe and flexible in all its motions. It is a very symmetrical animal, and as its expression partakes as much of wildness as of fierceness, it is among the handsomest of its tribe. It preys upon small animals, is frequently on the hunt, and probably kills more creatures than do the tiger or the lion. It is said to be found only in the islands of the Oriental Archipelago, and in the Eastern peninsula.The leopard climbs trees with astonishing rapidity, so that few animals are safe from his ravages. Man alone seems to be respected by him, but if pressed hard in the pursuit by the hunter, it will turn upon him, and much skill and prowess is then necessary to guard against the fury of his attacks.Two men in Southern Africa fell in with a leopard in a mountain ravine, and immediately gave chase to him. The animal at first endeavored to escape by clambering up a precipice, but being hotly pressed, and slightly wounded by a musket ball, he turned upon his pursuers with that frantic ferocity which he frequently displays, and springing upon the man who had fired upon him, tore him from his horse to the ground, biting him at the same time very severely on the shoulder, and tearing his face and arms with his claws. The other hunter, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprung from his horse, and attempted to shoot the leopard through the head; but, whether owing to trepidation, or the fear ofwounding his friend, or the sudden motions of the animal, he unfortunately missed his aim.The leopard now, abandoning his prostrate enemy, darted with redoubled fury on this second antagonist, and before the poor man could stab him with his hunting knife, he struck him in the eyes with his claws, and had torn the scalp over his forehead. In this frightful condition, the hunter grappled with the savage beast, and, struggling for life, they both rolled down a steep declivity. All this passed so rapidly that the other man had scarcely time to recover from the confusion into which his feline foe had thrown him, to seize his gun and rush forward to aid his comrade, when he beheld them rolling together down the steep bank, in mortal combat.In a few moments, he was at the bottom with them, but too late to save the life of his friend. The leopard had so dreadfully torn the throat of the unfortunate man that his death was inevitable—and he had only the satisfaction of completing the destruction of the savage beast, which was already exhausted by the wounds given in his breast by the desperate knife of the expiring huntsman.In a captive state, the leopard is easily domesticated. There was a pair of these animals recently in the tower of London. The female was very tame and gentle, and would allow herself to be patted and caressed by the keepers, while she purred and licked their hands. She had one curious peculiarity; she was very fond of destroying parasols, umbrellas, muffs and hats, which she frequently contrived to lay hold of before the unwary spectator could prevent it, and tore them to pieces in an instant. While this creature was in a playful mood, she bounded about her cell with the quickness of thought, touching the four sides of it nearly at one and the same instant. So rapid were her motions that she could scarcely be followed by the eye; and she would even skim about the ceiling of her apartment with the same amazing rapidity—evincing great muscular powers and wonderful pliability of form.
Leopard
Thisanimal, a handsome, but fierce member of the great family of cats, is smaller than either the lion or the tiger. Its skin is very beautiful, being spotted with large ocellated black spots on a light ground, which sometimes approaches to a bright yellow color. The leopard is remarkably lithe and flexible in all its motions. It is a very symmetrical animal, and as its expression partakes as much of wildness as of fierceness, it is among the handsomest of its tribe. It preys upon small animals, is frequently on the hunt, and probably kills more creatures than do the tiger or the lion. It is said to be found only in the islands of the Oriental Archipelago, and in the Eastern peninsula.
The leopard climbs trees with astonishing rapidity, so that few animals are safe from his ravages. Man alone seems to be respected by him, but if pressed hard in the pursuit by the hunter, it will turn upon him, and much skill and prowess is then necessary to guard against the fury of his attacks.
Two men in Southern Africa fell in with a leopard in a mountain ravine, and immediately gave chase to him. The animal at first endeavored to escape by clambering up a precipice, but being hotly pressed, and slightly wounded by a musket ball, he turned upon his pursuers with that frantic ferocity which he frequently displays, and springing upon the man who had fired upon him, tore him from his horse to the ground, biting him at the same time very severely on the shoulder, and tearing his face and arms with his claws. The other hunter, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprung from his horse, and attempted to shoot the leopard through the head; but, whether owing to trepidation, or the fear ofwounding his friend, or the sudden motions of the animal, he unfortunately missed his aim.
The leopard now, abandoning his prostrate enemy, darted with redoubled fury on this second antagonist, and before the poor man could stab him with his hunting knife, he struck him in the eyes with his claws, and had torn the scalp over his forehead. In this frightful condition, the hunter grappled with the savage beast, and, struggling for life, they both rolled down a steep declivity. All this passed so rapidly that the other man had scarcely time to recover from the confusion into which his feline foe had thrown him, to seize his gun and rush forward to aid his comrade, when he beheld them rolling together down the steep bank, in mortal combat.
In a few moments, he was at the bottom with them, but too late to save the life of his friend. The leopard had so dreadfully torn the throat of the unfortunate man that his death was inevitable—and he had only the satisfaction of completing the destruction of the savage beast, which was already exhausted by the wounds given in his breast by the desperate knife of the expiring huntsman.
In a captive state, the leopard is easily domesticated. There was a pair of these animals recently in the tower of London. The female was very tame and gentle, and would allow herself to be patted and caressed by the keepers, while she purred and licked their hands. She had one curious peculiarity; she was very fond of destroying parasols, umbrellas, muffs and hats, which she frequently contrived to lay hold of before the unwary spectator could prevent it, and tore them to pieces in an instant. While this creature was in a playful mood, she bounded about her cell with the quickness of thought, touching the four sides of it nearly at one and the same instant. So rapid were her motions that she could scarcely be followed by the eye; and she would even skim about the ceiling of her apartment with the same amazing rapidity—evincing great muscular powers and wonderful pliability of form.