60 FIELD MUSEUM or NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. X. 



Empalado Savannas. Of their natural prey, the capybara is perhaps 

 the favorite and they doubtless do not hesitate to pursue it into the 

 water. A partly eaten carcass of one of the big rodents was found near 

 our camp in the Empalado Savannas but the jaguar that had been 

 frightened from it failed to return. 



Jaguars seem not only to have less distaste for water than most cats 

 but even enter it and swim freely. In some of the mangrove swamps 

 near Maracaibo their trails are frequently found leading to the edge of 

 rather wide channels of water and out on the other side. According to 

 report, two were killed in Lake Maracaibo not long ago while swimming 

 from the mainland to Toas Island, a distance of more than two miles. 



Felis pardalis subsp. Ocelot. 



Evidently not very common. Several poorly prepared skins 

 offered for sale in Maracaibo were purchased for a few cents each. The 

 enterprising venders, in the expectation of a higher price, insisted that 

 these were the skins of young jaguars but after being convinced that 

 we could not be fooled in this way, acknowledged their deception. 



An occasional track of an ocelot was seen near El Panorama and 

 once I was so fortunate as to see one of the animals. This was in the 

 full heat of midday and rather unexpected. It was surprised at a 

 little pool of water among some large mangroves and bounded across 

 in front of me scarcely 30 yards away, presenting a very attractive 

 sight. 



Tracks of some small cat about the size of an ocelot were seen at 

 high altitudes on Paramo de Tama. 



Local name Tigrillo. 



Felis concolor Linnaeus. Cougar. 



According to report, cougars are not uncommon in certain districts 

 near Maracaibo. They are seldom seen, however, and to successfully 

 hunt them good dogs are necessary. One hunter living on the shore of 

 the lake and almost directly opposite Maracaibo is reputed to have 

 killed from twenty to thirty during the last fifteen years. Several 

 hides in poor condition were seen in Maracaibo. 



Local name Leon or Leon bayo. 



Lutra sp. Otter. 



One hears but little of otters although it is probable they are generally 

 distributed. A dressed hide was seen in Colon. 



