THE PUMA. TO! 
leader in every Tiger-hunt. One day the Commandante of the 
district got twelve or fourteen men together, the Tiger-slayer 
among them, and started in search of a Jaguar which had been 
seen that morning in the neighbourhood of his ‘ estancia.’ The 
animal was eventually found and surrounded, and as it was 
crouching among some clumps of tall pampas-grass, where 
throwing a lasso over its neck would be a somewhat difficult 
and dangerous operation, all gave way to the famous hunter, 
who at once uncoiled his lasso and proceeded in a leisurely 
manner to form the loop. While thus engaged, he made the 
mistake of allowing his horse, which had grown restive, to turn 
aside from the hunted animal. The Jaguar, instantly taking 
advantage of the oversight, burst from its cover and sprang 
first on to the haunches of the horse, then seizing the hunter 
by his poncho, dragged him to the earth, and would no doubt 
have quickly despatched him, if a lasso, thrown by one of the 
other men, had not closed round its neck at this critical 
moment. It was quickly dragged off, and eventually killed.” 
The same writer tells that on another occasion a party of 
Gauchos started a Jaguar on the pampas, which took refuge in 
a patch of dry reeds. Being unable to lasso the animal, they 
set fire to the reeds, in the natural expectation that it would 
break covert. To their astonishment and disgust, the Jaguar, 
however, whose eyes could be seen glaring among the reeds, 
preferred to perish miserably in the flames and smoke, rather 
than face an encounter in the open. 
VI. THE PUMA. FELIS CONCOLOR. 
Felis concolor, Linn., Mantissa Plantarum, p. 52 (1771); Elliot, 
Monogr. Felidz, pl. ii. (1878-83); Mivart, The Cat, p. 
397 (1881); True, Rep. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1888-89, pp. 
591-608 (1891). 
felis couguar, Lesson, Man, Mamm. p. 190 (1827). 
La eagecar (err, A Me hes ae 
ay, 
ic 
15). 
