The National tribune., 1889-10-17

with reference 10 the panther CHARACTERISTIC
behavior on the more important occasions oil
life. Without occupying space with names ana
references suffice il 10 say that there Is but enc
point upon which the testimony Of those who
have had any personal acquaintance with the
panther is nearly unanimous, and this Is, that
the animal possesses powers of ohcnse nearly
equal with those which have been developed ln
the tiger; that he is IN general a holder, more
enterprising and aggressive animal than the
greater cat. and that when he takes TO man
eating, which is not inircquently the case, his
attacks are more difficult 10 guard against, ana
the danger 10 life from his depredations IS cor
respoudiugiy increased.
IL is commonly supposed that the panther
and leopard specifically distinct forms.
This. however. is not true; the leopard Is but a
variety OF the panther Tor, as some naturailsts
express H. both are varieties Of the pardl, and
the animal which is called 10y this name in
America is not panther at all. The same Is
likewise held by biologists 10 be the fact with
regard 10 the black or. as he is sometimes call
ed, the Javanesc panther, aud the Snow leopard
Of the Himalayas. The latter has been rarely
met with. and but few specimens, even OF It's
skin, have been obtained still, on structural
grounds. il is considered like the ordinary
leopard OF Asia aud Africa. TO be only a yarI-
ely, and this has been demonstrated 10 be the
else with regard TO the black panther since
Maj. Levesou and Others have found cubs IN
the same litter "one of which, as be says,
was black. whilst the others were tan-colOrcd
and spotted"
in what is subsequently said of these ami
mails Il therefore viii be understood that the
common varieties alone are referred TO; the
Javancse panther being merely what IS called
Though inaccnrately) " a freak o. nature, said
10 bc most met with usually IN localities which
are densely wooded. aud the snow leopard
smaller IN average 81 Ze than his uamesake OF the
af1f
l0wish brown markings, having been but little
studied on account Of lis shyncss. IL is the
Tarest event" remarks Col. Markham, TO see
q snow leopard. though il r0ams about, appsr-
emily, as much By day rs by night.
Even the shepherds who pass the whole OF the
Summer months, year after year. in the regions
~ lnhabis-that IS TO say, above the forests
where there is little OF no covers but
seldom see one. ii is surprising and
unaccountAbie how il cVades observation"
Speaking generally. and without reference to
anatomical details, which IL is not here neces.
sary TO consider IL may be said that tigers,
panthcrs and ieopaTds are, both IN their bony
structure and muscular systems, extremely
alike. They also resemble each other strik-
ingly in all those characters which are more
particularly related 20 their habits Of life;
ALL HAVING THE DILATAGLE PUPIL OF THE
Eye
which enables them TO see at night, the for
midabie fangs, powerful jaw, padded foot, and
Tetractile claws Of the great cats. Further, III.
though their coats are differently marked. each
81 them has this common peculiarly with re
spoet 70 color. namely. that diverse as il is ia
detail IN their several skins, every one Of these
Rssimilales 80 well with tie prevailing tints
belonging 10 their surroundings, that they are
enabled 20 conceal themselves in a manner
which other animals Of similar size would find
% be impossible
As this i not formal scientific treatise upon
tie leopard and panther, but description Of
tie more salient features Of their tempcrs,
habits and modes Of life, il viii be unnecessary
70 accumulate technical details. aud we may
presently iarn 10 the purely descriptive zoology
OF the animals iH quest on. Before doing So
however. let il be understood that there is but
one true species q the panther now extant aud
that ihis, whether found IN Asia or Africa, is
identical The lions Of these continents. though
presenting many transient variations. are now
recognized 20 b. the same in both, and such
also j. the fact with regard 70 those smaller re-
lafsoHs Of theirs. upon " nose differences 50 much
has been written. il is true that an animal
exists in Central Africa which is very little
known beyond the limits Of this remote quar-
ter Of the world. and which is called by the
natives Bguluia or NAMED leopard Anders.
son, aB excellent naturalist, describes il as - IN
shape and color like tie lion, but IN most other
respects totally distinct from him" Quoting
from Leslie, whom he credits with having
perhaps, more acquaintance with this subject
than anyone else. be staies that the Bguiula
cub Is gray, light and furry. the
bali grown one, gray also, but the spots are
rather family alstImEuisiahie Ia the full
grown che they are perfectly 50, but very dirty
and underlined. There is also the peculiar gray
L0g-mauc-' BrDmmUnd. who had also seen this
creature, remarks that AndcFs-0ns description
D. exact. lie has, according 10 bis own account.
mistaken The ngulula Tor a lion and be adds
that - iaf as his observation extends, il does
not exist 30 the southern part Of Africa.
There . 10 need - discuss the subject Of tic
named leopard, aud sc may turn 70 his Asiatic
c0BeepeT, and 80 the Indian panther as he ap.
PeaTs in the literature Of sport among large
game. Bearing IN mind those qualities Of
mental constitution which were considered IN
relation % the Tiger, but which are true in Tic
ease u all predatory animals we shall find
when the evidence Of the great hunters i
taken upon The panthers character, that Mai.
Lcresons sweeping assertions are not sup.
ported by facts. " Panther" he declares. &" Ike
81 forest creatures wiib very rare exceptions
are afraid Of IDan never voluntarily iutrudiup
upOa has presence,
AID ISvhEIABLY BEATING A EITREAT
hthcy eau dose unmOested." II has been shown
that The charge ofcowardice and the opinion tliat
be was uniformly nOu-aggressive Is e6ufradicted
tiger that where bc Goes not know Beforehand
that tic chances arc ali against him, he fre.
ouently attacks without pFoy0cation, aud II 81
happens that Aai. LuvesOn himself is one al
those writers referred 70 who admit that tbe
panther is boldcr aud more fierce than "the
striped monarch 0f the jungle" These are
bis words: The panther. ar a rule Is more
courageous than the tiger; and although hs
does not weigh half 50 much his powers o.
0fisn5c aud defense are scarcely inferior When
large male panther takes 10 cailicli fling OF
man eating he Is more terrible gcourgc than
TIE Tiger, luasinueh as be is more daring and
cunning" Aiaj. Forsyth, in his Highlands 81
Ichtra! India, Describes pauthel's depreda
Mons 10 the Scoul district, which, although by
DO mems solitary Instance on tie part Of ia /,
animal 81 wholesale murder seems 10 posses
certain features Of inlrepidity and determiua
tion which are unmatched ia the records 81
destruction by BIid beasts, except indeed liz
tie deeds Of that terrible ion whom Dr1lmmoug
tells u, aud whom 20 hunt down aud Kin re-
quired the combined fighting force Of half Z
dozen African Villages. This panther FORSYTH
states killed, incredible as IL may seem
nearly 8 HUNDRED persons before he vas sbol
by shckarTic de never ate the bodies, bal
merely Tapped the blood from the throat: and
ms plan Was either 10 steal into a house Al
night and strangle some sleeper on his bed
Stunning al QUERY with his deadly grip or tC
CLIMB into the high platforms from whfcl
watchers guard their fields from deer and
drag has victim from there He was not Ia bf
baked ~ las prey; aud when driven of from
one END Of village would hurry round 10 tbe
opposite side and secure another ia the con.
fusion. a N moments completed his deadly