THE OCELOT. 



143 



Other specimens have the ground-colour of the fur paler, 

 and of a tawny-yellow tinge. 



Distribution. — America, as far north as Arkansas, Louisiana, 

 Texas, and Mexico ; thence through Central America to South 

 America east of the Andes, where it is said to extend south- 

 wards into Patagonia. 



Habits. — Essentially a forest animal, and hence unknown on 

 the open pampas of Argentina, the Ocelot is an excellent 

 climber, and is said to be characterised by its ultra-fierce and 

 bloodthirsty disposition, although in confinement it can be 

 tamed without much difficulty. 



The following particulars of the habits of the female Ocelot, 

 forming the subject of our first illustration, are taken from 

 Wilson, who writes : " She is remarkably playful, much in- 

 clined to climb up the legs of those who approach her (an 

 inconvenient tendency, from the length and sharpness of her 

 claws), and delights in being carried about in people's arms 

 like a Cat. She is an extremely powerful animal, but gentle 

 through the influence of domestication, and attached to those 

 who feed her. She one day seized a chamois-leather glove, 

 which she tore to pieces, and swallowed immediately. The 

 person to whom the glove belonged could not rescue it with 

 the strength of both his hands. While young, this animal 

 was fed on oatmeal-porridge and milk, and has been all along 

 sustained chiefly by milk and vegetables, with occasionally a 

 bit of boiled liver, or other offal. The nature of the diet has 

 obviously a considerable influence on her disposition. When 

 farinaceous food and milk prevail, she is certainly more tract- 

 able than when animal food is given in any considerable quan- 

 tity; and when treated with live birds or raw flesh, she is 

 observed to assume greater fierceness in her aspect, and to 

 strike more forcibly with her fore-paws at passing animals. 



