Syrian Panther {Felis Pardus).
Linn.) lives in Africa (Strabo, xvii, 828; Pliny, x, 94), Arabia (Strabo, xvi, 774, 777), as well as on Lebanon (Seetzen, xviii, 343 ; Burckhardt, Trav. i, 99), and the hills of middle Palestine (Schubert, iii, 119), not to men- tion more distant countries, as India, America, etc. The most graphic description of the (African and Arabian) panther is by Ehrenberg (Symbol, jiht/s. Mammal, dec. 2, pi. 17). The variety of leopard, or rather panther, of SjTia is considerably below the stature of a lioness, but very heavy in proportion to its bulk. Its general form is so well known as to require no description be- yond stating that the spots are rather more irregular, and the color more mixed with whitisli, than in the other pantherine felinaj, excepting the Felis Uncia or Felis Irbis of High Asia, which is shaggy and almost white (Sonnini, Trai: i, 395). It is a nocturnal, cat-like animal in habits, dangerous to all domestic cattle, and sometimes even to man (comp. Plin. x, 94; Hom. J/;/mn in Ven. 71 ; Oppian, Ci/ner/. iii, 70 sq. ; Cyrill. Alex, in JIos. 1. c. ; Tsetz. Chiliad, ii, 45; Poiret, Voi/age, i, 224). In the Scriptures it is constantly placed in juxtaposition with the lion (Isa. xi, (J ; Jer. v, G ; Hos. xiii, 7 ; Ecclus. xxviii, 23 [27 J ; comp. .Elian, i'. //. xiv. 4) or the wolf. The swiftness of this animal, to which Habakkuk (i, 8) compares the Chakkean liorses. and to which Daniel (vii, G) alludes in tlie winged leopard, is well known. So great is the tlc'xibility of its body that it is able to take sur- prising leaps, to climb trees, or to crawl snake-like ujion the ground. Jeremiah and Ilosea (as above) allude to the insidious habit of this animal, which is abundantlv confirmed l)y the observations of travellers: the leop- ard will take up its position in some spot near a vil- lage, and watch for some favorable opportunity fur plun- der. Erom tlie Canticles (as above) we learn that tlie hilly ranges of Lebanon were in ancient limes frequent- ed by these animals, and it is luiw not uncommonly seen in and about Lebanon, anil the soutliern maritime moun-
tains of Syria (Kitto, Pict. Bible, note on Cant, iv, 8). There is in Asia Minor a species or variety of panther, much larger than the Syrian, not unfrequent on the borders of the snowy tracts even of Mount Ida, above ancient Troy ; and the group of these spotted animals is spread over the whole of Southern Asia to Africa. From several names of places (e. g. Beth-Nimrah, etc.), it appears that, in the earlier ages of Israelitish domin- ion, it was sufficiently numerous in Palestine, and re- cent travellers have encountered it there (see Bibliotheca Sacra, 1848, p. (5(39 ; Lynch's Expedition, p. 212). Leop- ard skins were worn as a part of ceremonial costume by the superiors of the Egyptian priesthood, and by other personages in Nubia; and the animal itself is represent- ed in the processions of tributary nations (Wilkinson, i, 285, 291, 319). In Dan. vii, 7, "the third .stage of the prophetical vision is symbolized under the form of a leopard with wings, representing the rapidly formed Macedonian empire; its four heads corresponding to the division of Alexander's dominions among his four gen- erals. In Kev. xiii, 2, the same animal is made a type of the spiritual power of the Eoman hierarchy, support- ed by the secular power in maintaining Paganism in opposition to Christianity. See generally Bochart, Ili- eroz. ii, 100 sq. ; Schoder, Specim. hieroz. i, 4G sq. ; We- myss, Claris Symbolica, s. v.; Wood, Bible Animals, p. 29 sq. ; Thomson, Land ami Book; ii, 156 sq.
Leopold II of Germany (1790-1792) and I of Tus- cany (1705-1790), the second son of jNIaria Theresa of Austria and her husband Francis of Lorraine, is noted in Church History for the part he took in the ecclesias- tical affairs of Tuscany, which, after Maria Theresa had succeeded to the Austrian dominions, according to trea- ties, establishing the independence of Tuscany as a state separate from the hereditary states of Austria, de- volved upon Leopold, his elder brother Joseph being the presumptive heir of the Austrian dominions. His prin- cipal reforms in Tuscany concerned the administration of justice and the discipline of the clergy in his dommions. By his "Motu proprio" in 178G, he promulgated a new criminal code, abolished torture and the pain of death, and established penitentiaries to reclaim ofFendeis. In the ecclesiastical department, after having instituted various reforms, he actually, in July, 1782, abolished the Inquisition in Tuscan^-, and placed the monks and nuns of his dominions under the jurisdiction of the respective bishops. The discovery of licentious practices carried on in certain nunneries in the to-»nis of Pistoja and Prato Avith the connivance cf their monkish directors induced Leopold to investigate and reform the -whole system of monastic discipline, and he intrusted Kicci, bishop of Pistoja, with full i)ower for that purpose. This occa- sioned a long and angrj- controversy with the court of Pome, which pretended to have the sole cognizance of matters affecting individuals of the clergy and monastic orders. Leopold, liowever, carried his point, and the pope consented that the bishops of Tuscany shoidd have the jurisdiction over the convents of their respective di- oceses. Picci, who had high notions of religious purity, and was by his enemies accused of Jansenism, attempt- ed other reforms : he endeavored to enlighten the people as to the proper limits of image-worship and the invo- cation of saints ; he suppressed certain relics which gave occasion to superstitious practices; he encouraged the spreading of religious works, and especially of the Gos- pel, among his Hock ; and, lastly, he assembled a dioce- san council at Pistoja in September, 1786, in which he maintained tlie siiiritual independence of the bishops. He advocated the use of the liturgy in the oral language of the country, he exposed the abuse of indulgences, ap- proved of the four articles of the (iallican Coimcil of 1G82, and, lastly, appealed to a national council as a le- gitimate and canonical means for terminating contro- versies. Sever.al of Picci's propositions were condemned by the po])e in a bull as scandalous, rash, and injurious to the Holy See. Leo|)old supported IJicci, but he could not prevent his being annoyed in many ways, and at last