TO remove all ambiguities arising from the use of improper names, or other cause, let it be remarked, that, beside the tigers, whose history and description I have just given, Asia and Africa afford other three species of this genus, all different from the tiger, and from each other. These three species are the Panther, the Ounce, and the Leopard, which naturalists have not only confounded with one another, but with species of the same genus peculiar to America. Of the latter I shall take no notice in this place, but confine myself solely to those of the Old Continent.
The first species is the panther,* which was known to the Greeks by the name Pardalis, to the antient Latins by that of Panthera and Par- [167] dus, and to the more modern Latins by that of Leopardus. The body of this animal, when arrived at full growth, is five or six feet long, measuring from the extremity of the muzzle to the origin of the tail, which is more than two feet. The basis of the colour upon the back and sides is of a more or less deep yellow, and that of the belly is whitish. He is marked with black spots, which are circular, or in the form of a rose, detached from each other upon the sides, hollow in the middle, and most of them have several lesser spots, in their center, of the same colour. These spots, of which some are oblong, and others circular, are frequently three inches in diameter. The spots on the head, breast, belly, and legs, are entire.
The second species is the little panther of Oppian,* to which the antients have assigned no particular name; but modern travellers have called in Ounce, from the corrupted term Lynx or Lunx. We shall adopt the name Ounce,+, be- [168] cause the animal has some affinity to the lynx. The ounce is much smaller than the panther, being only about three feet and a half long, which is nearly the size of the lynx. The length of the hair exceeds that of the panther, as well as that of the tail, which is sometimes more than three feet in length, though the body of the ounce is, upon the whole, one third less than that of the panther, whose tail is only about two feet and a half. The ground colour of the ounce is a whitish gray upon the back and sides, and the gray is still whiter on the belly. But the back and sides of the panther are always of a more or less deep yellow colour. The spots are nearly of the same figure and size in the one as in the other.
The third species is peculiar to Senegal, Guiney, and other southern regions, which had not been discovered by the antients; and, of course, they had no knowledge of this animal, which we shall the Leopard, a name that has been im- [169] properly applied to the great panther. The leopard* is larger than the ounce, but much less than the panther, seldom exceeding four feet in length. The tail is two or two and a half feet long. The ground colour of the hair, upon the back and sides, is yellow; that of the belly is whitish. The spots are annular, or like roses, but much smaller than those of the panther and ounce, and most of them are composed of four or five small full spots: Some of the latter are irregularly disposed.
These three species, as we have seen, are perfectly distinct. The merchants call the skins of the first species, panther skins, those of the second, which we have denominated the ounce, African tigers skins, and those of the third, or leopard, though very improperly, tigers skins.
Oppian+ was acquainted with the panther and ounce; of the former he remarks, that there were two kinds, the one large and the other small, though the form of their bodies, and the disposition of the spots, were similar; but that they are different in the length of their tail, [170] which was longer in the small than in the large species. The Arabs call the great panther Nemer, and the smaller kind Phet or Phed, which last, though a little corrupted, is the same with Faadh, and is the real Barbary name of this animal. “The Faadh,” says Dr. Shaw,* “resembles the leopard, (he means the panther), by having the same spots; but they differ in other respects; for the skin of the former is darker and coarser, and he is not so ferocious as the latter.” Besides, we learn from a passage of Albert, commented upon by Gesner+, that the Phet or Phed of the Arabs, is denoted, in Italian, and some other European languages, by the word Leunza or Lonza. Hence it is evident, that the small panther of Oppian, and the Arabian Phet or Phed,3 the Barbary Faadh, and the European Onze or Ounce, are the same animal, which is also probably the Pard or Pardus of the antients, and the Panthera of Pliny; for he says, that the ground colour of the panther4 was white, but that of the great panther, as formerly observed, is yellow. It is, besides, probable, that the small panther was called simply Pard or Pardus, and that they afterwards named the large [171] panther Leopard, or Leopardus; because they imagined it was a mongrel species, increased in size by mixing with that of the lion. But, as there is no foundation for this fancy, we have preferred the simple and primitive name panther, to the modern compound one, Leopard, which last we have applied to a new animal, that has hitherto been mentioned under equivocal appellations only.
Thus the ounce differs from the panther by being smaller, having a longer tail, and also longer hair, and a whitish gray colour; and the leopard differs from both the panther and ounce, by his brilliant yellow robe, though more or less deep, by the smallness of his spots, and by their being disposed in groups, as if each of them were formed by the union of four or five.
Pliny*, and several posterior authors, say, that the robe of the female panther was whiter than that of the male. This may be true of the ounce: But we have observed no such distinction in the panthers kept at Versailles, which were drawn from the life. Hence, if there is any difference between the male and female, it can neither be constant nor sensible. We have indeed perceived shades, more or less strong, in some skins of these animals; but it is probable that this difference depends more on the difference of age or of climate than upon that of the sexes. [172]
The animals described and dissected by the gentlemen of the Academy of Sciences,+ under the name of Tigers, and that described by Caius,3 in Gesner, under the name of Uncia, are of the same species with our leopard. Of this not a doubt can remain, after comparing our figure and description with those of Caius and M. Perrault. The latter, indeed, says, that the animals described and dissected by the gentlemen of the Academy under the appellation of tigers, were not the ounce of Caius. But the only reasons he gave are, that the ounce is smaller, and is not white under the belly. However, if M. Perrault had compared the description of Caius with the subjects he examined, I am persuaded that he would have perceived no difference between them and the ounce of Caius. But, as some doubts may still remain, I shall here relate the most essential parts of Caius’s description, which, though made upon a dead animal, appears to be very exact.4 It may be remarked, that Caius, [173] without giving the precise dimensions of the animal’s body, says, that it is larger than the shepherd’s dog, and as thick, though it be shorter, as the bull-dog: I cannot conceive, therefore, how M. Perrault should have said, that the ounce of Caius was much smaller than the tigers dissected by the gentlemen of the Academy. These animals, from the extremity of the muzzle, to the origin of the tail, measured only four feet in length. The leopard which we have descri- [174] bed, and which is unquestionably the same animal with the tigers of M. Perrault, was likewise about four feet long; and, if we measure a bull-dog, and particularly a mastiff, we will find that he often exceeds these dimensions. Thus the tigers described by the gentlemen of the Academy differ not so much in size from the ounce of Caius, as to justify M. Perrault’s conclusion, that they were not the same animal. The second difference is that of the colour of the hair on the belly, which M Perrault says is white, and Caius ash-coloured, that is, whitish. Hence these two characters, which induced M. Perrault to think that the tigers dissected by the gentlemen of the Academy were not the ounce of Caius, should have led him to the opposite conclusion, especially if he had attended to the rest of the description, which perfectly agrees. We must, therefore, regard the tigers of the gentlemen of the Academy, the ounce of Caius, and our leopard, as the same animal; and I cannot conceive how some naturalists should have mistaken M. Perrault’s tigers for American animals, and confounded them with the jaguar.
I consider it, therefore, as certain, that the tigers of Perrault, the uncial of Caius, and our leopard, are the same animal, and that our panther is the same with the panther of the antients; for, excepting in the size, our panther agrees with the antient in every other character; and this in- [175] considerable difference may be safely ascribed to confinement and want of exercise. This difference of dimensions at first perplexed me. But, after a minute comparison between the large skins sold by the furriers with that of our panther, there could be no longer hesitation that they were the very same creatures. The panther we have described, as well as other two of the same species, kept at Versailles, came from Barbary: The two first were presented to his Majesty by the regency of Algiers, about twelve years ago; and the third was purchased by the King from an Algerine Jew.
Another remark must be made. Of the three animals above described under the appellation of the panther, the ounce, and the leopard, not a single one can be referred to the animal which naturalists have indicated the name of pardus, or leopardus. The pardus of Linnaeus, and the leopard of Brisson, which appear to the same animal, are designed in the following manner: Paruds, felis cauda elongate, corporis maculis superioribus orbiculatis, inferioribus virgatis; Syst. Nat. p. 61. Leopardus, felis ex albo slavicans, maculis nigris in dorso orbiculatis, in ventre longis, variegate; Regn. anim. p. 272. This character, of long spots on the inferior parts of the body, belongs neither to the panther, the ounce, nor the leopard; and yet it is the panther of the antients, the panthera, pardalis, pardus, leopardus of Gesner, the pardus, panthera of Prosper Alpi- [176] nus; in a word, the panther found in Africa and the East-Indies, which these authors mean to point out by the above definitions. From the accurate researches I have made, I am perfectly satisfied that these three animals, and, perhaps, a fourth, to be afterwards mentioned, which likewise has not this character of long spots on the belly, are the only species of the genus to be found in Asia or Africa. We must, therefore, hold this character of our nomenclators to be factitious; for, in all the animals of this kind, both in the Old and New Continent, when they have long spots, these spots are uniformly situated on the superior parts of the body, as the neck and back, and never on the inferior parts.
I must again remark, that the animal described in the third part of the Memoires pour server a l’histoire de animaus, p. 3. is neither the panther, the ounce, nor the leopard, of which I am here treating.
In fine, when perusing the writings of the antients, the panther should not be confounded with the panthera. The panthera is the animal we have described; but the panther of Homer and other authors, is a kind of timid wolf, perhaps the jackal, as shall be explained in the history of that animal. Besides, the word pardalis is the antient Greek name of the true panther, and is applied indiscriminately to both male and female. The word pardus is more modern, being first used by Lucan and Pliny. Leopardus [177] is still less antient; for it appears to have been first employed by Julius Capitolinus: And panthera was derived from the Greek by the antient Latins, but never used by the Greeks themselves.
After dispelling the darkness with which nomenclators perpetually obscure Nature, after removing every source of ambiguity, by giving exact figures of the three animals of which we are treating, we shall now proceed to remark what is peculiar to each of them.
The panther, which we have examined alive, has a ferocious air, a restless eye, a cruel aspect, brisk movements, and a cry similar to that of an enraged dog, but stronger and more hoarse. He has a rough and very red tongue, strong and pointed teeth, hard sharp claws, a beautiful skin, of a more or less deep yhellow colour, variegated with black circular spots, or united in the form of roses, and short hair. The upper part of the tail is marked with large black spots, and with rings of black and white toward the extremity. He is of the size and make of a mastiff dog, only his legs are not so long.
The relations of travellers agree with the testimonies of the antients, as to the large and small panther, that is, our panther and ounce. It appears, that there now exist, as in the days of Oppian, in that part of Africa which extends along the Mediterranean, and in those parts of Asia that were known to the antients, two species of panthers, and most travellers have called [178] the larger the panther or leopard, and the smaller the ounce. They all agree, that the ounce is easily tamed, that he is trained to hunting, and employed for this purpose in Persia, and several other provinces of Asia; that some ounces are so small, that a horseman carries them on the crupper behind him, and that they are so gentle as to admit of being handled and caressed.* The [179] panther seems to be of a more fierce and untractable nature. Man may be said rather to subdue than to tame him. He never loses entirely his ferocious disposition;* and, when destined for [180] the chace [sic], great attention is necessary in training him, and still greater caution is requisite in conducting and exercising him. He is led in a cart, shut up in a cage, the door of which is opened when game appears. He springs toward the animal, and generally, at three or four bounds, seizes and strangles it; but, if he misses his blow, he becomes furious, and sometimes attacks his master, who commonly prevents this hazard, by carrying along with him pieces of flesh, or live animals, as lambs, or kids, one of which he throws to him to appease his rage.
The species of the ounce seems to be more numerous and more diffused than that of the pan- [181] ther. Ounces are very common in Barbary, Arabia, and all the southern parts of Asia, Egypt, perhaps, excepted.* They even extend as far as China, where are called hinen-pao.+
The ounce is used for hunting in the warm climates of Asia; because dogs are very scarce in these countries,3 having hardly any but what are transported thither, and even these lose, in a short time, their voice and their instinct. Besides, the panther, the ounce, and the leopard, have such an antipathy to dogs, that they attack them preferably to all other animals.4 In Europe, our hunting dogs have no enemy but the wolf. But, in countries filled with tigers, lions, panthers, leopards, and ounces, which are all stronger and more cruel than the wolf, it is impossible to preserve dogs. The scent of the ounce is not near so fine as that of the dog. He neither follows animals by their foot, nor is he able [182] to overtake them in a continued chace [sic] . He hunts solely by the eye, and makes only a few springs at his prey. He is so nimble, that he easily clears a ditch or wall of many feet. He often climbs trees to watch passing animals, and suddenly darts down upon them. This mode of seizing prey is common to the panther, the leopard, and the ounce.
The manners and dispositions of the leopard* are the same with those of the panther. But I [183] learn not that he has ever been tamed like the ounce, or that the Negroes of Senegal or Guiney, where he is very common, ever use him for hunting. He is generally larger than the ounce and smaller than the panther. His tail, though two or two and a half feet long, is shorter than that of the ounce.
The leopard of Senegal and Guiney, to which we have particularly applied the name of leopard, is probably the animal called Engoi* at Congo, and perhaps also the Antamba+ of Madagascar. We mention these names, because it would increase our knowledge of animals, if we had lists of the names given them in the language of the countries they inhabit.
The species of the leopard appears to be subject to greater varieties than that of the panther or ounce. We have examined a great number of leopard’s skins, which differed from each other, [184] either in the shades of the ground-colour, or in those of the annular spots, some of which were more distinctly defined than others. But these rings are always smaller than those of the panther or ounce. In all leopards skins, the spots are nearly of the same size and figure; and their chief difference consists I the deepness or lightness of their colours. The ground-colour of the skin differs only in being of a more or less deep yellow. But, as all these skins are nearly of the same size, both in the body and tail, it is probable that they belong to the same species of animal.
The panther, the ounce, and the leopard, inhabit Africa, and the warmest climates of Asia only. They have never spread over the northern, or even the temperate regions. Aristotle mentions the panther as an African and Asiatic animal, and says expressly, that it existed not in Europe. Hence these animals, which seem to be confined to the Torrid Zone of the Old Continent, could never pass over to the New by the northern lands; and we shall find, by the descriptions we are to give of the American animals of this genus, that they are different species, and ought not to be confounded, as most of our nomenclators have done, with those of Asia or Africa.
These animals, in general, delight in the thickest forests, and often frequent the banks of rivers, and the environs of sequestrated habitations, where they endeavour to surprise domestic ani- [185] mals, and the wild beasts which come to the rivers in quest of water. They seldom attack men, even when provoked. They climb trees with great ease, where they pursue cats, and other animals, which seldom escape them. Though they live solely on prey, and are commonly meagre, travellers pretend that their flesh is not bad to eat. It is, indeed, eaten by the Indians and Negroes; but they prefer the flesh of the dog, which they consider as the most delicious food. With regard to their skins, they are all valuable, and make excellent furs. The most beautiful and dearest is that of the leopard, one of which, when the yellow is bright, and the spots very black and well defined, costs eight or ten louis-d’ors. [186]
* The generic characters of the panther are the same with those of all the cat kind. – The panther has smooth short hair, of a bright tawny colour. The back, sides, and flanks are elegantly marked with black spots, disposed in circles from four to five in each, with a single black spot in the center. In the face and legs there are single spots only. On the top of the back there is a row of oblong spots, the largest nearest the tail. The chest and belly are white, the first being marked with transverse dusky stripes. On the tail and belly the black spots are irregular. The ears are short and pointed; the end of the nose is brown; and the limbs are very [167] strong. The skin of the one I measured, was, from the extremity of the nose, to the origin of the tail, six feet ten inches long, and the tail near three; Pennant’s synops. of quad. p. 170.
Felis pardus, cauda elongate, corpore maculis superioribus orbiculatis, inferioribus virgatis; Linn. sys. Nat. p. 61.
Panthera, pardus, pardalis, leopardus; Gesn. quad. p. 824. Raii synops. quad. p. 166. Klein quad. p. 77 [this note straddles pages 167 and 168, with the break occurring where indicated above. Back to page 166]
* Oppian de venatione, lib. 3.
+ The ounce has a large head, short ears, and long hair on the whole body, of a whitish ash colour, tinged with yellow, which is fainter in the breast and belly. It is marked with [168] small round spots. There is a large black spot behind each ear. The upper part of the neck is varied with large single spots; the sides of the back with longitudinal marks, consisting of several spots almost touching each other, leaving the ground colour of the body in the middle. The spots beneath these are irregular, large, and full. Those on the legs are small, and thinly dispersed. The tail is full of hair, and irregularly marked with large black spots. This species is of a strong make, being long backed, and short legged. The length from the nose to the tail is about three feet and a half, and that of the tail is upwards of three feet; Pennant’s synops. of quad. p. 175 [this note straddles pages 168 and 169, with the break occurring where indicated above. Back to page 168].
* The hair of the leopard is of a lively yellow colour, marked on the back and sides with small spots, disposed in circles, and placed pretty closely together. The face and legs are marked with single spots. The breast and belly are covered with longer hairs than the rest of the body, of a whitish colour. The spots on the tail are large and oblong. The length of this species, from nose to tail, is four feet; and that of the tail two and a half.
+ Oppianus de venatione, lib. 3 [back to page 170].
* Shaw’s travels. Nota. The English a is pronounced like the French ai, which Dr. Shaw’s Faadh, pronounced Faidh, still nearer to the Fhed.
+ Gesner. hist. quad. p. 825.
3. Alphed, id est, leopardus minor; Albertus.
4. Pantheris in candido breves macularum oculi; Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. 8. cap. 18 [back to page 171].
* Plinii Hist. Nat. lib. 8. cap. 18 [back to page 172].
+ Memories pour server a l’histoire des animaux, part 3. p. 3. [The printer departed from normal practice on this page in that this is the first note on the page and it is denoted with the plus sign, which was normally used to denote the second note on a page].
3. Gesner. Hist. quad. p. 825 [back to page 173].
4. Uncia fera est saevissima, canis villatici magnitudine, facie et aure leonine: corpore, cauda, pede, et ungue felis, aspectu truci: dente tam robusto et acuto, ut vel ligna dividat: ungue ita pollet, ut eodem contra nitentes in adversum retineat: colore per summa corporis pallescentis ochrae, per ima cineris, asperse undique macula nigra et frequenti, cauda reliquo corpore aliquanto obscuriori et grandiori macula. Auris intus pallet fine nigro, foris nigricat fine pallore, si u- [173] nam flavum et obscuram maculam e medio eximas. – Reliquum caput totum est maculosum frequentissima macula migra, (ut et reliquum corpus), nisi ea parte quae inter nasum et oculum est, qua nullae sunt, nisi utrinque duae, et eae parvae: quemadmodum et ceterae omnes extremis et imis partibus, reliquis sunt minores: Maculae in summis quidem crurum partibus, et in cauda, nigriores sunt et singulars, per latera vero compositae, quasi singulae maculae ex quatuor fierent. Ordor nullus est in maculis nisi in labor superiori, ubi ordines quinque sunt. In primo et superiori duae discretae: In secudo sex conjuctae, ut linea esse videantur. Hi duo ordines liberi sunt, nec inter se commisti. In tertio ordine octo conjunctae sunt, sed cum qauarto ubi finit commiscentur. ----- Nasus nigrescit, linea per longitudinem perque summam tanum superficiem inducta leniter; oculi glauci sunt ----- Vivit ex carne: Foemina mare crudelior est et minor: Utriusque sexus una ad nos ex Mauritania est advecta nave. Naseuntur in Libya. Si quod illis coeundi statum tempus est, hic mensis Junius est: Nam hoc mas foeminam supervenit. --- Ista animalia tam ferocia sunt, ut custos cum primo vellet de loco in locum movere, cogebatur suste in caput acto (ut aiunt) semi mortua reddere. ---- Quod serinos esse cane longius, id mihi non videtur: Nam sunt apud nos multi canes villactici, qui longitudine aequent: Pecuario tamen et major est et longior, ut et villatico humilior; Caius apud Gesner. Hist. quadrup. pag. 825. et 826 [this note straddles pages 173 and 174 with the break coming where indicated above. Back to page 173].
* The Persians have a quadruped called the ounce, whose skin is spotted like that of a tiger, but which is very tame and gentle. A horseman carries it on a truss behind him; and, when he perceives an antelope, he makes the ounce descend, which is so nimble that, in three bounds, it leaps on the neck of the antelope, though the latter runs with incredible swiftness. The antelope is a small species of roe-deer, which are very numerous in this country. The ounce soon kills the antelope with his sharp teeth. But, if he misses his blow, and the antelope escapes, he remains fixed on the spot, in a confused and mortified condition. In these moments of distress and disappointment, an infant may apprehend him, without the least resistance; Voyage de Tavernier, tom. 2. p. 26 [back to page 179].
In great hunting matches the Persians train ferocious animals to the chace [sic], as lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, and ounces; the latter of which are called youzze. They do no injury to man. A horseman carries one behind him, with its eyes covered by a cloth, and fixed by a chain. When the hunter perceives any game, he uncovers the animal’s eyes, and turns his head to the prey. If he spies it, he darts upon it with great bounds, throws himself upon it, and brings it to the ground. If, after making a few leaps, he misses his object, he is discouraged, and commonly stops. The hunter takes him up, and consoles him with caresses. --- I saw, in the year 1666, this kind of hunting in Hyrcania. --- Some of these animals hunt with great dexterity, creeping on their bellies through hedges and brushwood till they are near their prey, and then daring upon them; See Voyage de Chardin en Perse, &c. tom. 2. p. 32. Voyage autour [179] du monde de Gemelli Carreri, tom. 2. p. 96. 212. where, however, this author seems to have borrowed many things from Chardin [back to page 179].
Quo tempore perveni Alexandriam duos pardos… vidi apud Antonium Calepium….. Usque adeo cicures errant et mansueti, ut simper in lectulis decumbentes dormiebant—Carne eos nutriebat: Saepe a nobis cum pardo ibatur ad venandas gazelles, et pugnam inter ipsos pulcherrimam quae siebat admirabamur, praesertim gazellae artificium cum pardo cornibus durissimis armatae pugnando, sed eam tamen multo satigatam atque ex quondam mulierem quinque caulos recentes a panthers effusos, ex Arabe coemisse, eosque ut feles aluisse.—Erant omnino visu pulcherrimi, albicabant colore maculis parvis rotundis toto corpore evariati—Parum quidem differentiae inter pardum quidem et panteram observavimus intercedere: Panthera quidem major et toto corpore est et capite, atque multo ferocior; Prosp. Alp. Hist. AEgypt, part. 1. p. 238. Accepi a quodam oculato teste, in aula Regis Galliarium, leopardos duorum generum ali; magnitudine tatum differentes, majores vituli corpulentia esse, humiliores, obllongiores; alteros minores ad canis molem accedere, et unum ex minoribus aliquando ad spectaculum regi exhibendum, a bestiario aut venatore, equo insidente a tergo super stragulo aut pulvino vehi, alligatum catena, et lepore objecto dimitti, quem illi faltibus aliquot bene magnis affectus jugulet; Gesner. Hist. quad. p. 831.—Emanuel King of Portugal sent to Leo X. a panther trained to the chace [sic]; Hist. des Conquetes des Portugais par le P. Lafiteaui, tom .1. p. 525. This panther was an ounce; for the author likewise says, that, in Persia, they use the ounce or panther for hunting antelopes; that these animals were brought from Arabia; and that they were so tame as to be carried on the crupper of a horse [this lengthy note straddle two pages, with the break occurring as indicated above. Back to page 179]
* Tigres ex Ethiopia in AEgyptum convectas vidimus, esti [180] nullo modo cicuratae hae mansuefiant, neque unquam ferinam naturam relinquant; sunt laenis quam similes et forma et colore albicante, rotundis maculis sulvescentibus evariatae, sed leanis longe majores sunt; Prosp. Alp. Hist. AEgypt. p. 237.—When the hunter discovers the antelopes, he endeavours to show them to the leopard, which is chained upon a small cart. This cunning animal does not instantly run at the them, as might be imagined, but winds about, creeping and concealing himself in order to approach and surprise them; and, as he is capable of making five or six springs with incredible rapidity, when he has advanced near enough, he darts upon them, strangles them in an instant, and gluts himself with their blood, their heart, and their liver. But, if he misses his aim, which sometimes happens, he stands still, and never attempts to pursue them, which would be in vain; for they run much swifter and longer than he is able. His master then approaches him gently, flattering and amusing him with pieces of flesh, till he throws a cover over his eyes, puts on his chain, and conducts him back to the cart; Voyage de Bernier, dans le Mogol. tom. 2. p. 243. This description can only apply to the large panther; because no such precautions are necessary with the ounce [this note straddles two pages, with the break occurring where indicated above. Back to page 180].
* There are no lions, tigers, or leopards, in Egypt; Descript. de l’Egypte, par Mascrier. Tom. 2. p. 125 [back to page 182].
+ Hinen-pao is a kind of leopard or panther found in the province of Pekin. He is not so ferocious as the tiger, and the Chinese are very fond of him; Relation de la Chine, par Thevenot, p. 19.
3. As the Moors at Surat, and on the Malabar coasts, have no dogs to hunt the antelopes and fallow-deer, they endeavour to supply this defect, by taming and training leopards. These animals attack their prey with great address, and, after seizing it, they never quit, but remain firmly fixed upon it; Voyage de Jean Ovington, tom. 1. p. 278 [back to page 182].
4. The leopards are mortal enemies to the dogs, and devour them as often as they meet with them; Voyage de la Maire, p. 99 [back to page 182].
* The Guiney leopard is generally of the size and stature of a large bull-dog. He is very ferocious and incapable of being tamed. He attacks with fury every kind of animal, man not excepted. Neither the tigers nor lions of the Guiney coast do any injury to man, unless they are extremely pressed with hunger. The leopard partakes something of the lion and something of the large wild cat. His skin is all marked with round spots of different shades of blackness upon a grayish ground. His head is of a middle size, his mouth is large, and well armed with teeth, of which the women of that country make necklaces. His tongue is equally rough as that of the lion. His eyes are fiery, and continually in motion. His aspect is cruel, and indicates a perpetual thirst for blood. His ears are round, short, and always erect. He has a thick short neck, strong thighs, large feet, five toes on the fore and four on the hind feet, both armed with strong sharp claws, which he shuts like the fingers of hand, and never looses them from his prey till he has torn it in pieces, both with his claws and teeth. Though very rapacious and gluttonous, he is always meagre. The leopards multiply very fast; but the tigre [sic], who is stronger and more alert, is their deadly foe, and destroys great numbers of them. The Negroes take the tiger, the leopard, and the lion, by means of deep pits covered with reeds and little earth, upon which they place some dead animal as bait. Voyage de Desmarchais, tom. 1. p. 202.—The tiger of Senegal is more furious than the lion. He is [183] nearly about the length and height of a grey-hound. He attacks, indiscriminately, man and all other animals. The Negroes kill him with their darts and arrows, in order to procure their skins. Though their bodies be pierced in many places, they defend themselves to the last drop of their blood, and often destroy some of the assailants; Voyage de la Maire, p. 99 [this note straddles two pages, with the break occurring where indicated above. Back to page 183].
* The tigers of Congo are called Engoi; Drake’s Voyages, p. 105. Recueil des voyages qui out servi a l’establissement de la compagnie des Indes, tom. 4. p. 326.
+ The Madagastcar antamba is an animal as large as a dog, with a round head, and, according to the relations of the Negroes, resembling the leopard. It devours both men and cattle, and is only found in the most desert parts of the island; Voyage de Madagascar, par Flacourt, tom. 1 p. 154 [Back to page 184].