CARNIVORA. MUSTELID^. 37 



the hair. The Panther, though it will not venture to attack man, 

 yet will follow his track a great distance ; if it is near the evening, 

 he frequently utters a scream which can be heard for miles. 

 When treed by dogs, if it is not much disturbed or wounded, it 

 will often sit quietly on a branch, and purr hke a cat, though much 

 louder. In the day time it travels but little ; it usually lies con- 

 cealed beside a log or rock until towards night, when it sallies out 

 in quest of food. This animal, though known to be powerful, 

 yet, in one instance, has been mastered and killed by a single dog. 

 It was one, too, which was of about the common size. Still, there 

 are very few dogs who may safely attack it. The description and 

 observations apply to the species now found in the State of New 

 York. It is quite doubtful whether I have delineated the entire 

 species, and it is still a question whether the southern animal 

 known as the Panther or Catamount, is the same as the northern. 

 No opportunity has been furnished me of forming a satisfactory 

 opinion by inspection and examination of specimens. From 

 what I have been able to learn, the Puma's northern range is not 

 much beyond the latitude of 45^, and it is evident that the terres- 

 trial conditions most suited to it are the regions farther south. 



FAMILY VII. MUSTELID^. The Weasel Family. 



Characters of the family. The Mustelidae have long slender 

 bodies, and short legs. Most, if not all the species, have odorif- 

 erous dands at the roots of their tails, which, in some instances, 

 are extremely strong-scented. They are strictly carnivorous, and 

 being powerful, active, and sanguinary in their habits, they are 

 able to overcome animals larger than themselves ; this is true, 

 however, only of a portion of the family, the Weasels and Mar- 

 tens ; the Mephitis or Skunk is rather clumsy, and less active, 

 though equally fond of animal food. They differ somewhat also 

 in their modes of living ; a portion preferring a dry wooded re- 

 gion, as the Marten, and others the banks of rivers and wet places, 

 as the Mink and Otter. 



