Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-05
MOST TREAcHERoUS BEAST.
Leopard Worse Than the Lion or the
Tiuer,

Leopard Worse Than the Lion or the
Tiger.
Less in size but even more ferocious,
the leopard has a worse character
than the tiger or lion. Living mainly
i'm trees and very nocturnal, this fierce
and dangerous beast is less often seen
than far rarer animals. 1t Is widely
spread over the world from the Cape
OF Good Hope to the Atlas Mountains
and from Southern China TO the Black
Sea where ii Is sometimes met with
in the Caucasus.
ANY one who has frequented the
Zoo for any time must have notlced
the difference in size and color De-
tween leopards from different parts
of the world. On some the ground
color is almost white, in others a clear
nut brown. Others are just black.
Wherever they live leopards are
cattle thieves, sheep thieves, dog
thieves and human being thieves.
Though not formidable in appearance,
they are immensely strong, and II Is
not unusual for them to turn man
eater. Both i'm India and in Africa
they have been known to set up in
this line as deliberately as any tiger.
They have four or five young at a
birth. The cubs can be kept tame Tor
some time and are amusing pets, out
il is extremely dangerous to have them
about.
In HongkOng an Engishman had
tame leonard 1t was brought into
the dining roOr by a cOOlie to be eX-
hibited to the owners guests. EX-
cited by the smell of food, the leopard
refused to go out when one OF the
ladies, who did not like It's LOOKS
asked that it be removed. Ihe
coolie took hold of it's collar and be-
gan to haul 1t out. 1t seized him by
the neck. bit it through and in min
ute the cOolie was dying, covered with
blood, on the dining-room floor.
The Chinese leopard ranges as far
north as the Siberian tiger, and, IKE
the latter, seems to grow larger the
farther north II is found. The color
of these northern leopards is very
pale. the spots large and the fur very
long.
The natives of all countries are
unanimous in declaring that the leop-
ard is more dangerous than the non
or tiger. They have no fear OF the
lion, providing they are not hunting
it. for it will not attack unless pro-
voked, but a leopard Is never TO De
trusted
In Africa a number of natives were
firing the reeds along a stream. one
of them, a boy, being thirsty and hot,
stooped down to drink. He was i'm
mediately seized by leopard. The
boys brother, with admirable aim
hurled his spear at the leopard while
the boy was in his jaws. The point
separated the veterbrae of the neck
and the leopard fell stone dead. But
the boy could not recover. The leop-
ards fangs 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.
I.eopards 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 espe-
cially fond of killing and eating the
latter.
They seize their prey by the throat,
and 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 inflicted by their teeth
or claws liable to blood poisoning.
Nothing in the way of prey comes
amiss t. them, from COW In the pas
ture to a fowl up at roost.
In the great mountain ranges Of
Central Asia the beautiful snow leop-
ard Is found. 1t is a large creature,
with thick, woolly coat, and long
tail like a fur boa. The color is white,
clouded with beautiful grey, like that
of an Angora cat. The edges of the
cloudings and spots are marked with
black or darker gray. The eyes are
very large. blush gray or smoke
colored. 1t lives on the wild sheep,
ibeX and other mountain animals. In
captivity it is far the tamest and
gentlest of the large carnivora, not
excepting the puma. Unlike the lat
ter, it is a 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 in cou-
ples-are fond of hunting canton
ments and around native towns, where
they pick up goat and now and hen
a baby.
One night | was camped in a ma
tive town, and after 1 had retired the
natives. as was their custom, We're
sitting about a great fire asking rry
caravan all sorts Of questions, for the
African savage is the greatest gossip
I'm the world. Suddenly a child's cry
rang out, followed by a great clamor
Rushing out to discover the cause
of alarm, | was informed that leop-
ard had stolen in from the darkness,
and quick as flash, had gathered A.
year-old child and made off with it,
The child was seated in the midst Of
the grown men and women. The lat
ter could only lament their loss. They
knew it was useless to try to pursue
the beast into the dense bush.
The leopard is so bold that even in
daylight he will wander about town
or a white mans premises. 1t Is not
at all unusual to get a good shot at
leopard from a bungalow verandah
or mud hut door
Wounded leOpards have always a
nasty temper, and it Is distinctly in
advisable to follow up a wounded
panther at night. The moral is, Of
course. to kill outright. With a good
moon and white goat, a cool eye and
a fairly heavy ball there is not much
difficulty in Il straight kill.-Pittsburg
Dispatch.