(_Felis pardus_)
It is not a little remarkable that three such closely related animals
as the lion, the tiger, and the leopard or panther (for these two
names really indicate the same species) should exhibit such striking
dissimilarity in their type of colouring. The explanation of the
difference in this respect is, however, probably to be found in the
diversity of habit. Neither the lion nor the tiger can climb; and as
the former is mainly an inhabitant of open and more or less desert
country, it has assumed a uniformly sandy coat to accord with the tawny
hue of its surroundings. The tiger, on the other hand, resorts more to
covert, and has therefore adopted a livery suitable to such situations,
or, at all events, one which tends to break up the general outline of
the body.
From both its larger cousins the leopard differs by its arboreal
habits, and this may to a great extent account for its spotted type of
colouring, which harmonises well with the chequered shade thrown by
the foliage on the horizontal and gnarled branches of forest-trees.
It is, however, important to notice that the dark markings on the fur
of an ordinary leopard are not solid black circular spots, but take
the form of rosettes of irregular black patches enclosing a centre of
darker tint than the general ground-colour of the fur. Such a type of
colouring seems to be one specially adapted to a partially arboreal
life, for in the purely terrestrial hunting-leopard (_Cynælurus
jubatus_), as well as in the smaller African cat known as the serval
(_Felis serval_), the markings all take the form of solid circular
black spots. It is further noteworthy that the Amurland race of the
leopard (_F. pardus villosa_), which inhabits a country where the
forests are coniferous and therefore ill-adapted for climbing by a
large animal, the spots are in the main solid and more or less nearly
circular.
Leopards have a range larger than that of either the lion or the
tiger. In former times they probably inhabited a considerable portion
of Europe; and at the present day they extend from the Caucasus over
the greater part of Asia, inclusive of Persia, India, China, and the
Malay countries, although unknown in northern Siberia, the highlands
of Tibet, and Japan. In Africa they inhabit the whole continent from
Morocco to Cape Colony, although from certain districts they have now
been killed off. As a rule, the central chestnut area forming the
centre of the rosettes does not carry any small spots, but two or
three such spots occur in the rosettes of some Asiatic leopards; and
skins thus marked serve to connect the leopard with its near relative
the jaguar (_F. onca_) of Central and South America, in which these
central spots are constant. Now the jaguar is an even more arboreal
animal than the leopard; and the more complex development of its
rosettes is a further proof that this type of marking is one specially
adapted to a life among thick-foliaged trees. It may be added that the
near relationship existing between the leopard and the jaguar affords
conclusive evidence that large spotted felines at one time inhabited
North America.
[Illustration]
With such an enormous geographical range, it would be only natural to
expect that the leopard should present considerable local variation;
and, as a matter of fact, such is actually the case. The Amurland,
or Manchurian, race has already been mentioned. Asiatic leopards
have large rosettes; and among these the Persian leopard (_F. pardus
panthera_, or _tulliana_) constitutes a race characterised by its
pale colour, long fur, and thick tail. This race makes an approach to
the snow-leopard (_F. uncia_) of the highlands of central Asia, which
is, however, a distinct species, distinguished by its long fur and
tail, with the prevailing colour grey, and the rosettes in the form of
ill-defined rings; this type of colouring being probably an adaptation
to a life among rocks and snow.
Leopards from North and East Africa show large rosettes of the Asiatic
type; but in most other parts of the African continent the rosettes
show a great tendency to break up into small spots. Among these
small-spotted leopards the Somali race (_F. pardus nanopardus_) is
noticeable for its pale colour and small size; its total length being
less than 5 feet, whereas some of the other races may measure 7½
feet, or even more, in length.
Both in Asia and north-eastern and East Africa black leopards are
not uncommon; but these are merely a dark (melanistic) phase of the
ordinary leopard. Nevertheless, it appears, so far as can be judged
from a single authenticated instance, that black leopards when mated
together will breed true, although, if paired with spotted individuals,
the progeny may be of either type.
With regard to the general habits of leopards, space permits only
of reference to their remarkable partiality for the flesh of dogs,
which is so strong as to render it difficult to keep these animals in
leopard-infested districts.