The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1910-08-10
the UCLYLEQpARD
re Is a Cattle Tibet and Ey., :
'iu11an Beng Thief.
WORSE THAN LION OR TISrP.
oeIzes Its Prey by the rhroa, ans
C''ngs With las Claws Until 4,
Breaks the Spine of Its Victim .,
Strangles It.

/ The leopard has a worse character tl,,r
'he tiger or lion. Living mainly in
trees and very nocturnal. this fierce
and dangerous beast is less often soon
than far rarer animals. 1t Is widely
spread over the world from the Cane
of Good Hope to the Atlas mountains
and from southern China to the Black
sea. where it is sometimes met with in
I the Caucasus.
Any one who has frequented the 200
for any time must have noticed the
, difference in size and color between
I ieopards from different parts of the
world. On some the ground color il
almost white. in others a clear mn,
brown. Others are jet black.
Wherever they live leopards are cat
tie thieves. sheep thieves. dog thieves
and human being thieves Though not
formidable in appearance. they are i'm
| menseiy strong. and it is not unusual
for them to turn man eater Both in
India and in Africa they have been
known to set up in this line as deib-
I erately as any tiger. They have four
or five young at birth The cubs can
be kept tame for some time and are
amusing pets. but it Is extremely dan
gerous to have them about.
IN Hongkong an Englishman had
tame leopard. 1t was brought into the
I dining room by a coolie to be exhibit
ed to the owners guests. Excited hv
the smell of food, the leopard refused
. to go out when one of the women. who
did not like his looks. asked that 1t be
removed. The cooie took hold of its
collar and began to haul il out. 1t
seized him by the neck, bit it through
and in minute the coolie was dying.
, covered with blood, on the dining
room floor
The Chinese leopard ranges as far
north as the Siberian tiger and. like
the latter, seems to grow larger the
farther north it is found The color
of these northern lcopards is very pale.
the spots are large and the fur is very
long
The natives of all countries are unan-
imous in declaring that the leopard is
more dangerous than the lion or tiger
They have 10 fear of the lion provided
they are not hunting for it. for 1t will
not attack unless provoked but
leopard is never to be trusted.
In Africa a number of natives were
firing the reeds along a stream. One of
them. boy, being thirsty and hot
stopped down to drink, He was imme
diately seized by leopard. The boys
brother, with an admirable aim. hurled
his spear at the leopard while the boy
was in his jaws. The point separated
the vertebrae Of the neck. and the
leopard fell stone dead But the boy
could not recover. The leopard's fanSs
had torn open his chest and injured the
lungs The latter were exposed to
view through the cavity of the ribs
He 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 the latter
They seize their prey by the throaf
and cling with their claws unti thrE
succeed in breaking the spine or II
strangling the victim. They have Il
habit of feeding on putrif flesh. THIS
makes wounds inflicted by their teeth
or claws liable to blood poisoning
Nothing in the way of prey comes
amiss to them. from COW in the pas
ture to fowl up 1T roost.
In the great mountain ranges OF cen
trail Asia the beautiful snow leopard Is
found 1t is a large creature WIN
thick. wooliy coat and a long tail llNe
a fur boa The color is white, cloud'd
with beautiful gray like that OF an
Angora cat The edges of the clonn-
ings and spots are marked with plarh
or darker gray. The eyes are very
large. blush gray or smoke co'oF'u'
1t lives on the wild sheep. ibeX ana
other mountain animals. In captivity
IL IS far the tamest and gentlest or ing
large carnivora. not excepting the i"'
ma. Unlike the latter. it Is sleepy
Quiet animal. like domestic
The West African leopard SKID IS
more handsome than the Asiauc' tne
spots being very distinct and clear, lie
and she-they usually go in couples
are fond Of hunting environments anu
around native towns. where they p'eN
up a goat and now and then bapy
One night l was camped in na'''e
town and after | had retired the Ma
tiyes. as was their custom, were stun.
about a great fire asking my caravan
all sorts Of questions. for the Africa"
savage Is the greatest gossip III 'ne
world. Suddenly child's cry '"nN
out, followed by great clamor. nuep
ing out to discover the cause OF a'''n'
l was informed that leopard n"o
stolen from the darkness ana qu'ch
a fash had grabbed four-year.",a
child and made of with 1t. Ihe eh''"
was seated IN the midst OF the grown