THE PUMA, OR AMERICAN LION. 



593 



inches; height at the shoulder, 22£ inches. Audubon and Bachman 

 give the following dimensions of a male killed by J. W. Audubon at 

 Castroville, Tex., January 28, 1846, From point of nose to root of tail 

 (whether measured along curves, not stated), 5 feet 1 inch; tail, 3 feet 

 1 inch; height of ear posteriorly, 3 inches.* 



The male Puma measured by Azara was somewhat smaller, the head 

 and body being 51£ inches and the tail 29 inches.! The system of 

 measurement is not given. 



The average dimensions obtained from these three individuals are: 

 For the head and body, oo^- inches, and for the tail, 304 inches ; total, 

 85 inches. 



Dr. Edgar A. Mearns has generously permitted me to copy his meas- 

 urements of the nineteen individuals killed by him in Arizona between 

 1884 and 1888. Measurements of total length are given in seven in- 

 stances. These are as follows : 



Length of 



tail with 



hairs. 



Inches. 



29.5 

 31.1 

 31.0 

 25.5 

 36.0 

 23.0 

 30.0 



I have found no authentic record of any individuals measured before 

 skinning of which the dimensions were greater than those of Audubon's 



(/) Total length, 5 feet 9$ inches. Color grayish. A few very faint .spots. 



(g) Total length, 5 feet 8 inches. Color gray. Shows large spots throughout, and 

 also two bars on the shoulders, and a line of very distinct spots along the spine. 



(h) Total length, 5 feet 8 inches ; color gray ; numerous spots, especially on the legs. 



(i) Total length, 5 feet 5 inches (tip of tail wanting). Similar to " (j," but the 

 spots less distinct. 



(j) Total length, 5 feet t; inches. Similar to "g." 



(k) Total length, 5 feet 1 inches (tip of tail wanting). Color gray. Shows large 

 dusky spots throughout. 



(/) Total length, 5 feet :S inches. Color pale tawny. Spots distinct but pale. 



(m) Length without head. 1 feet 1 inch. Color a beautiful vinaceous bawny, over- 

 laid every where with large dusky spots. A broad, dark spinal band, and very dis- 

 tinct shoulder bars. A black line along the entire tail, above The terminal third of 

 the tail entirely blackish. 



'Audubon and Bachman, Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, n, 1851, p. 306. 



Buffou gives the following measurements received in a. letter from Collinson 

 (whether measured along curves not stated) ; Head ami body, 5 feel I inches; tail, 

 '2 feet 6 inches. This is probably English measure. CEuvres Comp. de Buffon, 

 edited bj Richard, XV, 1836, p. 74, under beading of /.< Couguar de Vennsylvanie. 



1 Azara, Apuntamientos para la His tori a Natural de los Quadriipedos del Para- 

 guay, n, 1802, p. L24. " Longitud, 7 1 pulgadas ; cola, 26$." 



II. Mis. 224, pt. 2 38 



