A MYSTERY FELID IN HONG KONG IN 1910

This mystery cat report,titled Tiger Hunting at Kowloon. Strange Beast Shot,   is not new to me(though it may be new to you),but what I do find interesting is that in this particular report, from the Overland China Mail of July 5th 1910, there is more information about the felid than in other reports I have come across.

There is speculation that the tiger (if that is what it was), was not the usual South China tiger species ,because it was brown without the usual prominent stripes. The following information is given (this is just a short extract from a much larger column) : ” What colour was its skin?” asked our representative. “Brown” replied Mr Gast  ” I am sure it was not a tiger” he added, “its more like a kind of jaguar or panther" . There were no stripes at all on its body." Could it have been a melanistic tiger or leopard? Its certainly possible. The image from Wikipedia  shows a South China Tiger. 

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