592 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



climatic conditions of its range.* The occurrence of albino Pumas in 

 the Alleghany Mountains and in New Mexico has been reported, but 

 not authoritatively.! 



Burmeister remarks on this point: " Very rarely individuals of this 

 species of a brown, nearly black color have been found, while differ- 

 ences in color between yellowish-brown and yellowish gray are not rare. 

 I am aware that individuals nearly white and others nearly black have 

 been observed, but I have never seen such myself." $ 



New-born Pumas are very different in appearance from the adults. 

 Instead of being of uniform color, the back and legs are covered with 

 large blackish-brown spots, and the tail is ringed with the same color.§ 

 According to Dr. W. A. Conklin these markings disappear in about six 

 months after birth. || 



The male Puma represented in Plate XCIVis of the following dimen- 

 sions : Head and body, measured along the curves, 53 inches ; tail, 26J 



* There is an early allusion to this matter in Miiller's translation of Linnseus's Sys- 

 tem of Nature, published in 1796. After mentioning the discrepancy between Pen- 

 nant's and Schreber's measurements of the Puma, this author remarks : " It is not, 

 however, to be wondered at that different measurements are given, when it is con- 

 sidered that the two animals from which they were taken were born in such very 

 differeut regions. The climate likewise contributes to changes in their disposition, 

 and hence those living in North America are much less ferocious and much weaker 

 than those which are born in hotter regions. It has influence also upon the color. 

 In the Iroquois country the species is gray, in other regions reddish." (Miiller, Linux's 

 Natursyst. Fortsetzung nach 13ten Ausgabe, 1. Theil, Siingethiere, 1796, p. 207.) 



t See Forest and Stream newspaper, xvn, p. 110 ; also, America n Field, xx, 1883, p. 201 



t Burmeister: Description Physique de laRefiubliqne Argentine, in, 1879, p. 132. 



$ This difference between the young aud adults in coloration led the veracious 

 Garcilasso de la Vega into error. In his Royal Commentaries he writes : "A Spaniard 

 whom I knew killed a great lioness in the country of the Antis, near Cuzco. She 

 had climbed into a high tree, and was killed by four thrusts of a lance. They found 

 two whelps in her belly, which were sous of a tiger, for their skins were marked with 

 their sire's spots." (Royal Commentaries, 1609, book 8. <^ Hakluyt Society, xli, 

 1869, p. 385.) According to Castelnau, young North American Pumas have white 

 spots. Burmeister states that he never saw such individuals in Brazil. 



|| Dr. W. A. Conklin, in Merriam's Vertebrates of the Adirondack Region. <[ Trans. 

 Linueau Soc, New York, i, 1882, p. 35, foot-note. 



They persist, however, though always more or less indistinct, until the animal has 

 reached its full size, or perhaps in some cases, throughout life. The term spotted, 

 notwithstanding, can not be applied to the species in the same sense as to the Jaguar, 

 Leopard, aud Ocelot. It may be mentioned in this connection that lions, which to 

 the eye are unspotted, sometimes appear in photographs as spotted animals. I sub- 

 join some notes on the color of a number of flat skins of Pumas, which I recently ex- 

 amined through the kiudness of Mr. F. S. Webster, of Washington. 



(a) Length without tail, 4 feet 9 inches. Color very pale tawny. Spots apparent 

 on all parts of the body. 



(b) Length without tail, 4 feet 4 inches. Shows spots of darker tawny than the 

 general color of the body. 



(c) Length without tail, 4 feet 7 inches. Color very pale. Shows very faint spots. 



(d) Total length, 6 feet 11 inches. Color gray. Numerous irregular small spots of 

 white snd single white hairs. No dark spots. 



(e) Total length, 6 feet 10 inches. Color pale tawny. Numerous white hairs. Faint 

 spots on the legs only. 



