to be peculiarly restricted to these skulls, but common to those of Leopards from other localities. In the Paris Museum
is a skull that belonged to a Leopard from Morocco, which is nearly identical with the Chinese specimen. It is not quité
so arched in its upper border, is apparently as deeply notched on the posterior border of the palate within the tubercular
teeth ; and the opening of the posterior .nares, though not so wide, is not any longer. The differences observable between
these two skulls from such distant localities are such as might with perfect propriety be attributed to age or sex ; and they
resemble each other to a much greater degree than would almost any other two crania of Leopards which were procured
at one place and selected at haphazard from a series. I t is very evident that no species of Cat can be satisfactorily
established as distinct, when closely allied to some other species, until a large series of skulls has been obtained, all of
which may possess characters in common and not to be found in the skull of another species; and with these there would
probably be present a style of coloration in the fur not met with in any other animal. The specimens of F. fontanieri, now
in the Paris Museum, I consider to be the same as the F. japonensis of Gray, determined by that naturalist from an
imperfect skin in the British Museum, which was stated to have come from Japan. This, however, is probably an error,
as no Leopard is known to inhabit that country ; but if this form should eventually prove to have some valid claim to be
considered distinct, Gray’s name, although rather inappropriate, would have the priority. The Leopardus chinenm of
Gray (I. c.) is also, I believe, the same as the style called F. fontanieri, the figure of the skull given being almost
identical with that in Professor Milne-Edwards’s ‘ Recherches.’ Specimens of F. leopardos from Java are smaller
than those from India and Asia, much darker in their ground-colour, and their spots are also more intensely
black. One which I saw in the Menagerie at Antwerp in 1871 was conspicuous for its small size, though apparently
adult, and also for its dark colour. Leopards from Persia also possess very long hair, like those from Northern China,
with a tail slightly inclined to be bushy and resembling that of Felis uncia and the colour of the body generally much
lighter.
General colour varying from pale fawn to a rich buff, graduating into pure white upon the throat, front of neck, belly,
and inside of legs. Head and body spotted throughout with dark brown or black; the spots on the back and sides arranged
in series of broken rings, similar to those of a Jaguar, but without the small spot in the centre. The spots on the breast
and belly, as well as those on the legs, are solid (not arranged in rings), and blacker than those on other parts of the body.
Base of ears behind black, tips buff. Tail long, sometimes slightly bushy, buff above, spotted in broken rings like the
back, white below, with solid black spots. The size o f the broken rings varies greatly in different individuals, as does also
that of the spots ; for while some specimens exhibit these as large as a Jaguar’s, others present very small, almost minute
spots. In examples of this kind the skin is much more profusely covered than is the case with those having larger spots.
The length of the fur also varies, according as the animals come from a cold or warm climate; and the hair of cubs is
usually longer than is that of the adults.
In some Leopard-skulls the nasal process of the prasmaxilla extends upwards to almost half the length of the nasal, and
the processes o f the frontal bone reversely descend a short distance downwards alongside the nasal. This, however,
varies greatly among individuals. Some crania also have a high crést, extending from the mid-frontal to the
supraoccipital; others have merely an indication of this, while in others again there is nothing of it whatever. This
peculiarity does not seem to belong to either age or locality, and cannot be regarded as of any specific value. The profile
or lateral outline of the skulls also varies greatly, some being very much more arched than others; and in size the
crania themselves of the adults are very dissimilar. The nasal orifices are slightly heart-shaped; and the nasal bones axe
usually broad anteriorly, but in some specimens narrow rapidly towards their articulation with the frontal bone, and
extend beyond the articulation of the processes of the maxilla. The lower outline of the ramus of the inferior maxilla is
usually straight, although in some there is a slight curve beneath the last molar.
Fossil remains of the Leopard have been obtained in various parts of Europe. They apparently belonged to both the
large and the small race, and do not present any characters to indicate a species distinct from that now living. These
bones prove that in Pleistocene times the Leopards ranged over a great part, if not the whole, of Western Europe and
part of Great Britain, passing into the last-named country over what is now the English Channel, and doubtless found a
sufficiency of food among the deer, bison, &c. that were then numerous in Somersetshire. In England, however, the animal
appears to have been ra re ; for the remains that have been found up to the present time consist only of some canines, together
with an ulna, femur, and two metatarsals.