Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-09-07
..i::UCLYLEOpARD
70 Is a Cattle Thief and Even a
Human Being Thief.
WORSE THAN LION OR TIGER.

-, =, size. but even moro ferocious.
,,. lcopard has n worse character than
49,, ,,cer or lion. niving mainly In
IS and very nocturnal. this fierce
-, dangerous beast is less often seen
10, far rarer animals. IL Is widely
oroad over the world from the Cape
!, Good Hope 70 the Atlas mountains
.,a from southern China TO the Black
u, where Il is sometimes met with In
the Caucasus
Any one who has frequented tho ZOO
Cor any time must have noticed tho
,ugerence In size aud color between
,oonards from different parts OF the
World on some the ground color is
,,r,ost white. In others a clear nut
brown others are jet black.
wherever they live leopards are cat
,,e thieves. sheep thieves. dog thieves
and human being thieves. Though not
formidable in appearance. they are Inn
r,cnsely strong, and it Is not unusual
for them TO turn man eater. Both In
india and IN Africa they have been
known % set up In this line as DELHI
erately as any tiger. They have four
ar Eve young at birth. The cubs can
he kept tame for some time and arc
amusing pets. but II is extremely dan
rerous 20 have them about
In Hongkong an Englishman had q
tame leopard. 1t was brought into the
dining room by a coolie 20 be exhibit
cd TO the owners guests Excited by
fhe smell OF food, the leopard refused
10 90 out when one OF the women, who
did not like his looks, asked that II DO
removed. The coolie took hold of its
collar and began to haul 1t out. It
seized him by the neck. bit IL through
and in Il minute tho coolie was dying.
covered with blood. on the dining
room floor.
Tho Chinese leopard ranges as far
north rs the Siberian tiger and. like
the latter, seems TO grow larger the
farther north Il Is found The color
Of these northern leopards is very pale,
the spots are large and tho fur Is very
long.
Tho natives OF oil countries arc unan-
imous in declaring that the leopard is
moro dangerous than tho lion or tiger.
They have no fear of tho Lion. provided
they are not hunting for Il. for II VIII
not attack unless provoked. but
leopard IS never 10 be trusted.
In Africa n number OF natives were
firing the reeds along a stream. One OF
them. q boy, being thirsty and hot,
stopped down 10 drink He was immo.
diately seized by leopard The boys
brother. with an admirable aim, hurled
his spear nj the leopard while the boy
was IN his jaws. The point separated
the vertebrate OF the neck, and tho
leopard fell stone dead But the boy
could not recover. Tho ieopari's fangs
had torn open his chest and injured the
lungs. The latter were exposed to
view through the cavity OF the ribs
lie died during the night
Leopards are essentially tree living
and nocturnal animals. Sleeping In
trees or caves by day, they are seldom
disturbed. They do an incredible
amount Of mischief among cattle,
calves, sheep and dogs. being especial
ly fond Of killing and eating tho latter.
They seize their prey by the throat
aud cling with their claws until they
succeed in breaking the spine or in
strangling the victim. They have a
habit OF feeding on putrid flesh. This
makes wounds Indicted by their teeth
or claws liable to blood poisoning.
Nothing In the way OF prey comes
"a L..
ture TO fowl up at roost
In the great mountain ranges OF cen
tral Asia the beautiful snow leopard is
found. 1t is n large creature, with
thick. woolly coat and a long tail like
a FUR boa. The color is white. clouded
with beautiful gray. like that OF an
Angora cat The edges OF the cloud
inss and spots are marked with black
or darker gray The eyes are very
large blush gray or smoke colored.
It lives on the Wild shoep. ibex and
other mountain animals In captivity
II Is far the tamest and gentlest OF the
large carnlvora. not excepting the pu-
ma. Unlike the latter. II Is q sleepy,
quiet animal. like domestic.
The West African leopard skin is
more handsome than the Asiatic. the
spots being very distinct and clear. He
and she-they usually go 10 couples
are fond Of hunting environments and
around native towns. where they pick
up goat and now and then baby
one night was camped in native
town and after | had retired the ma
ives as was their custom. were sitting
ABOUT great fire asking my caravan
al sorts OF questions. for the African
savage Is the greatest gossip In the
"orIu' Suddenly child's cry rang
out followed by great clamor. Rush
iug out to discover the cause OF alarm.
was Informed that leopard had
stolen from the darkness and quick as
nash had grabbed four-year-old
eulid and made of with It. The child
was seated in the midst OF the grown
weh and women. The latter could
ou'y lament their loss. They knew II
us useless to try to pursue the boast
INTO the dense bush.
4he leopard Is so bold that even In
uaylght he will wander about a town
white mans premises. II Is not
~ al unusual TO get good shot at @
sOpard from a bungalow yeranda or
~uo nut door.-Pittsburg Dispatch.
How II Is Done.