398 



HABITS OF THE JAGUAR 



The largest of American Cats is the Jaguar, F. onca. This is 

 an arboreal creature with a long, heavy hotly and short limbs. 

 Its pelage is much like tliat of the Leopard, but the spots are 

 larger and more definitely arranged in groups. There are a 

 number of distinct rows of spots. The lengtii of the body alone 

 is not greater than 4 feet. They prey very i<:rge]y on the 



Fio. 197. — Jaguar. Fdis onca. 



Capybara, and upon turtles, which tliey surprise upon the sand 

 when about to lay their eggs ; the reptiles are turned upon their 

 backs, so as to be incapable of escaping, and the Jaguar then 

 easily devours them. The Jaguar will even pursue the turtle 

 into the water, and will devour its eggs and the newly-hatched 

 young. 



The Ocelot is another spotted American Cat. F. pardalis ' 

 ranges from Arkansas in North America southwards, its range 

 corresponding with that of the Jaguar. Although small for 

 one of the " larger cats," tlie Ocelot inspired with considerable 

 respect Captain Dampier, who remarked of it : " The Tigre-cat 

 is about tlie bigness of a bull-dog, with sliort truss, body shaped 

 much like a mastiff, but in all things else, its head, the colour 

 of its hair, tlie manner of its preying, nnicli resembling the 



^ For an afcouiit of this and of otlier iiianinials wliich occur in Central America, 

 see Alston in ^Messrs. (lixlinan and Salvin's Biolofjia Ccntrali- Americana, 1879- 

 188:i. 



