THE CLOUDED LEOPARD 113 



attached to the Horses' necks at liberty to jingle, hobbled 

 the animals, and left them to shift for themselves. 



"After marching for a couple of hours, we again heard the 

 Dogs. Each of us pressed forward, elated at the thought of 

 terminating the career of the Cougar. Some of the Dogs were 

 heard whining, although the greater number barked vehe- 

 mently. We felt assured that the Cougar was treed, and that 

 he would rest for some time to recover from his fatigue. As we 

 came up to the Dogs, we discovered the ferocious animal lying 

 across a large branch, close to the trunk of a cotton-wood tree. 

 His broad breast lay towards us ; his eyes were at one time 

 bent on us, and again on the Dogs beneath and around 

 him ; one of his fore-legs hung loosely by his side ; and he lay 

 crouched, with his ears lowered close to his head, as if he 

 thought he might lay undiscovered. Three balls were fired at 

 him, at a given signal, on which he sprang a few feet from the 

 branch, and tumbled headlong to the ground. Attacked on 

 all sides by the enraged curs, the infuriated Cougar fought 

 with valour ; but the squatter, advancing in front of the party, 

 and almost in the midst of the Dogs, shot him immediately 

 behind and beneath the left shoulder. The Cougar writhed 

 for a moment in agony, and in another lay dead." 



By some of the Indians of South America, as well as by 

 certain native tribes in the northern half of the New World, 

 Puma-flesh is largely eaten ; and Darwin, who essayed the same 

 dish, reported of it favourably. 



Fossil remains of the Puma have been discovered in the 

 Pleistocene deposits of several parts of North America. 



VII. THE CLOUDED LEOPARD. FELIS NEBULOSA. 



Felts nebulosa, Griffith, Descript. Vert. p. 37 (182 1); Blanford, 

 Mamm. Brit. India, p. 72 (1888) ; Hose, Mamm. Borneo- 

 P- 1 1 (i#93)- 



1 



