THE OCELOT. 183 
It is sufficiently fierce in its wild state to be an unchancy opponent if wounded or 
otherwise irritated. When in captivity, its temper seems rather capricious, depending, in 
all probability on the individuality of the animal, or the treatment of its keepers. Some 
of these creatures are always fierce and surly, setting up a savage growl when any one 
OCELOT.—Leopardus Pardalis. 
approaches their cage, spitting at the visitor like an angry cat, and striking sharp, quick 
blows with the paws. Others, again, are as quiet and well-behaved as ‘hie generality of 
domestic cats, like to be noticed, and, if they think that the visitor is Alone to pass by 
their cage without recognising them, call his attention by a gracious purr, and rubbing 
themselves against the bars. They will even offer themselves to be stroked and patted, 
and will bow their heads, just as a cat does on feeling the touch of a friendly hand. 
The Grey OcELOT is so called on account of the comparatively light hue of the fur. 
The spots are not quite so numerous nor so bold as in the preceding animal, and the 
throat is remarkable for its whitish-grey tint, unbroken by spots or streaks. All these 
creatures are found in tropical America. 
The Ocelot soon learns to distinguish friends from foes, and can easily be brought to a 
state of partial tameness. 
Several of these animals, when I first made their acquaintance, were rather crabbed in 
disposition, snarled at the sound of a strange step, growled angrily at my approach, and 
behaved altogether in a very unsocial manner, in spite of many amicable overtures. After 
awhile, I saw that these creatures were continually and vainly attempting the capture of 
certain flies which buzzed about the cage. So I captured a few large blue-bottle flies, and 
poked them through a small aperture in the cage, so that the Ocelot’s paw might not be 
able to reach my hand. At first, the Ocelots decimed to make any advances in return for 
the gift, but they soon became bolder, and at last freely took the flies as fast as they were 
caught. The ice was now broken, and in a very short time we were excellent friends, the 
angry snarl being exchanged for a complacent purr, and the suspicious shrinking move- 
ments for a quiet and composed demeanow. 
The chmax to their change of character was reached by giving them a few leaves of 
grass, for which they were, as I thought they would be, more anxious than for the flies. 
They tore the green blades out of my hand, and retired to their sleeping-house for the 
purpose of eating the unaccustomed dainty undisturbed. After this they were quite at 
their ease, and came to the front of the cage whenever I passed. 
Eyery one who has watched the habits of the domestic cat must have noticed how 
thankful she seems for a few leaves of grass. It is curious that a carnivorous animal 
should be so impelled by instinct as to turn for a time to vegetable food, and to become 
for the nonce, a herbivorous creature. Dogs, it is well known, will resort to the same 
plant, and appear to use it in a medicinal point of view. 
