Page:Hunting and trapping stories; a book for boys (IA huntingtrappings00pric).pdf/60

 The Cheetah or Hunting Leopard is a long legged member of the cat family, hailing from India. It seems to be a bit leopard, bit serval and bit panther. It stands higher on its feet than the leopard but it is not nearly as strong nor as cunning in its ways.

The cheetah has been trained by men for hunting purposes, using somewhat the same method as with our greyhound in coursing rabbits. The cheetah is carried to the hunting field blindfolded, and often in a cart for the sake of handling it easier. It is chiefly used to run down deer. When



game is sighted a hunter creeps forward holding the cheetah in check with a slip-knot bandage. As soon as the pair come within striking distance of the herd of deer, the hunter slips the bandage from the head and eyes of the cheetah. For an instant it is bewildered but it soon catches sight of its prey. It approaches the deer in two ways; either it stalks up to them in cat fashion, or else it makes a dash for the nearest buck. The speed of the cheetah is very great and it can even catch a deer with a short rush, provided the latter does not get too much of a handicap at the start.

Directly the cheetah seizes its prey the hunter runs up and entices it away from the body with a ladleful of blood, or else a rag soaked in blood. With a badly trained, or young cheetah, it is sometimes hard work to get it to give up its prey. The size and strength of the cheetah forbid its being kicked off like a dog; it must be humored.