| Show SCENE US IN A nye rie PIE A jungle scene which is common enough t among the thickets and forests oath of the e wild world but which few can ever witness was enacted lately at liverpool A large menagerie had been exhibiting its stock of ferae natura na and among them two fine leopards it is the custom of the keepers to separate the animals by iron slides at att the hour for feeding as they are especially quarrelsome at such a time the two leo bards were particularly sharp set on the occasion in question and the sight and smell of the raw meat destined for their dinner made them savage while the slide was in preparation the beasts which had been guarding and snapping at each other suddenly gave a ferocious howl of anger and rushed together in combat the battle which ensued is 18 described as terrific the maddened animals stood face to face with flashing eyes and jaws distended lashed their sides aides wath their tails talis and then springing simultaneously with a horrible roar they fastened their fangs in each other and rolled over the floor of the den locked in fight the attendants in vain tried to separate the infuriated creatures tearing and clawing yell ling and gnashing they fought up and down the cage not in the least regarding the blows which were rained upon them by the keepers once indeed they parted panting but only onay to renew the engagement and this second time each leopard caught the other in a deadly grip the larger getting the forepaw fore paw and shoulder of his antagonist between his jaws and the smaller beast fastening upon the loin of his enemy in this position they kept their hold for several minutes mutually crunch ing the hide and flesh and rolling over and over without relinquishing their rasp grasp after the iron slide was introduced and a heavy blow from one of the scrapers used to clean out the cag cage ai obliged the larger beast to let go and crouch so far away from his foe that that the partition could be thrust into its place thel the larger leopard was already sore hurt and bleeding copiously from the muscles of the back while the sm smaller liler aller lay gasping where he had been left his yellow spotted skin was rent into ribbons all down the forequarter fore quarter one of the claws was torn clean away from the forepaw fore paw the shoulder bone was literally smashed and the leg bones from the knee to the foot were so chewed and mangled by the awful teeth of the other beast that there was not a piece of more than two inches long which had been left A leopard is worth a good deal of money to a showman such creatures are hard to take alive and it is difficult to keep them healthy in our cold weather but nothing could be done with the defeated fells except to put it out of pain A strong dose of prussie prussic acid was therefore procured and administered to the miserable beast which soon expired in the pool of blood flowing from its wounds liver liverpool p oo 00 C courier u rief rier |
