398 



HABITS OF THE JAGUAR 



CHAP. 



The largest of American Cats is the Jaguar, F. onca. This is 

 an arboreal creature with a long, heavy body and short limbs. 

 Its pelage is much like that of the Leopard, but the spots are 

 larger and more definitely arranged in groups. There are a 

 number of distinct rows of spots. The length of the body alone 

 is not greater than 4 feet. They prey very largely on the 



FIG. 197. Jaguar. Fdis onca. x -fa. 



Capybara, and upon turtles, which they surprise upon the sand 

 when about to lay their eggs ; the reptiles are turned upon their 

 backs, so as to be incapable of escaping, and the Jaguar then 

 easily devours them. The Jaguar will even pursue the turtle 

 into the water, and will devour its eggs and the newly-hatched 

 young. 



The Ocelot is another spotted American Cat. F. pardalis ] 

 ranges from Arkansas in North America southwards, its range 

 corresponding with that of the Jaguar. Although small for 

 one of the " larger cats," the Ocelot inspired with considerable 

 respect Captain Dampier, who remarked of it : " The Tigre-cat 

 is about the bigness of a bull-dog, with short truss, body shaped 

 much like a mastiff, but in all things else, its head, the colour 

 of its hair, the manner of its preying, much resembling the 



1 Tor an account of this and of other mammals which occur in Central America, 

 see Alston in Messrs. Godman and Salvin's Biologia Centra li- Americana, 1879- 

 1882. 



