128 



o rt sm:in's paper, tells of the recent killing of one of these animals at 

 GeorgHtown, El Dorado County, California, which measured nine feet 

 from tip to tip and weighed two hundred pounds. This variation in 

 size may be quite possible, for every hunter of any experience* knows 

 that the average weight of a large Virginian deer is about two hundred 

 pounds, although, occasionally, extra largo bucks have been met with, 

 weighing two hundred and fifty, and even three hundred pounds. 



The colour of the cougar is a deep fawn, inclining to white on the 

 belly. The body is long and somewhat slender, and the height about 

 two feet six inches at the shoulder. The tail is two feet long with a 

 small tuft of stiff hair at the end. The legs are thick and extremelv 

 muscular, and the teeth are sharp, strong and dangerous looking. Like 

 all animals of the cat tribe, the claws ai'e keen, formidable and retrac- 

 tile, thus aiding in the seizure and retention of its living prey, as well 

 as enabling it to climb trees with facility. 



After a gestatory period of about ninety-two days, the female brings 

 forth two kittens at a birth ; sometimes, however, one, three or even 

 four constitute her infant family. The young are produced late in the 

 winter, or early in the spring. A reliable authority, William A. Conk- 

 ling, Ph. D., Director of the Central Park, New York, speaking of 

 panthers, remarks : 



" The cubs ai-e born with their eyelids closed, they open after 

 eight or nine days. The incisors and canine teeth cut through the 

 gums ill eighteen days. Ths body is at first spoted; the spots dis- 

 appear in about six months. They are weaned when thi-ee months old. 

 The mother carries the young about in her mouth in the same manner 

 that a cat does." (Merriam.) 



As I intend to adhere as closely as possibly to scientific facts, T 

 shall make no apology for presenting you with a few admirable extracts* 

 from a work, entitled, "The Mammalia of th3 Adirondacks," by Dr. 

 Clinton Hart Merriam, of Lieust Grove, iu the State of New York^ 

 a volum3 which thois who ;hive hi I ui opportunity of reading will 

 readily acknowledge to ba an able an I valuable contribution to the 

 Natural Historv of America. * * # * 



These extracts giving a very full acco'.mt of the habits of this aniiual are, for 

 want of space, omitted, and the reader is nifutred to Dr. Merriam's splendid work. 



