562 ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONTAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



The leopard {Felis pardus) of Asia and Africa and the jaguar 

 {Fells onca) of America are spotted cats with many superficial points 

 of resemblance. The leopard is a less stocky animal than the jaguar 

 though he exceeds in size many of the smaller specimens of the 

 American species. Like the lion and the tiger the leopard is divided 

 into several subspecies or geographical races. Both the African and 

 Asiatic forms are kept in the park. The jaguar ranges from Argen- 

 tina northward to Mexico, and is sometimes killed in the wilder parts 

 of Texas and New Mexico. Unlike the puma, or mountain lion, it is 

 at times very destructive to cattle. The smallest jaguars come from 

 northern South America and the largest form inhabits Paraguay and 

 southern Brazil. The great difference in size between specimens from 

 these two regions is remarkable. Skulls of adult male specimens of 

 the Paraguay jaguar exceed in measurements the skull of the largest 

 Korean tigress recorded. 



The puma, known in the Western States as the mountain lion and 

 in the south as the panther, has an extensive distribution from British 

 Columbia to Patagonia. It was formerly common in the Eastern 

 States, but is now exterminated over much of its original range. In 

 parts of Florida and especially in the canebrake regions of Louisiana, 

 panthers are still found. In the Bear Lake cane of northeastern 

 Louisiana the animal was almost common a few years ago and doubt- 

 less is frequently found to this day. The mountain lion of the Rockies 

 {Felis hippolestes) and the paler colored form from Arizona {Felis 

 azteca) are both exhibited in the park. In parts of the West and 

 Southwest the mountain lion is still found in numbers, and in particu- 

 lar localities is so destructive to colts that it is almost impossible to 

 raise horses on the open range. There are several authentic instances 

 of the mountain lion's attacking man without tlie slightest provoca- 

 tion ; but considering the wide distribution of the animal and its com- 

 parative abundance, these must be considered exceptional traits of 

 habit. 



The ocelot {Felis pardaUs) is a smaller spotted and blotched Ameri- 

 can cat, common in the Tropics and regularly found in southeastern 

 Texas. It is a handsome species which varies greatly in color and 

 markings. The Canada lynx {Lynx canadensis) is a larger, tuftecl- 

 eared relative of the common bobcat, or wildcat, of the United States. 

 It is found over much of the wooded parts of British America and 

 Alaska and into the Northern States and Rocky Mountain region ^of 

 the West. It is much sought by the trapper and during the periodical 

 abundance of the northern hare becomes very plentiful, so that large 

 numbers are captured. 



The bay lynx, or bobcat {Lynx ruff us) ^ is the wildcat commonly 

 found in unsettled portions of the United States. Like other species 

 of wide distribution it is divisible into numerous geographical forms. 



