THE OCELOT. 93 



place at the village of Bamborough, in Yorkshire, between a 

 man and a wild cat. It is said that the fight commenced in an 

 adjacent wood, and was continued from thence into the porch 

 of the church, where it ended fatally to both combatants, for 

 each died of their wounds. A rude painting in the church com- 

 memorates the event, and some of the stones are said to be 

 tinged with bloody stains, which the properties of soap and water 

 have never been able to obliterate. In all probability, however, 

 these stains are merely imaginary, as the natural tinge of the 

 stones may be of a red colour. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



" There sublim'd 



To fearless lust of blood, the savage race 



Roam, licensed by the shading hour of guilt." THOMSON. 



IN proceeding with the survey of this ferocious tribe of ani- 

 mals, we will begin our ramble among the weaker sort of those 

 which are usually denominated the cat kind, and which, if through 

 a deficiency of strength, they are less to be dreaded than those 

 of a larger size, possess the same ferocity of disposition as the 

 most formidable. Among these are indeed some most beautiful 

 forms, but all characterized by the same propensity to carnage 

 and blood. This observation, in the first place, is found verified in 



THE OCELOT. 



This animal, when it has taken its prey, is said to prefer the 

 blood before the flnsh. A male and a female ocelot, which had 

 been taken very young, were some years ago brought to Paris. 

 At the age of three months, they became so strong and fierce, 

 as to kill a bitch that had been put ID them as a nurse. A live 

 cat being thrown to them, they immediately killed it, and sucked 

 the bl >od, but would not eat the flesh. The male never allowed 

 the female to partake of his food until he had satisfied his own 

 appetite. 



One of these animals, exhibited at Newcastle, although ex- 

 tremely old, showed evident marks of untuneable ferocity. It 

 was kept closely confined, and would not admit of being caressed 

 by its keeper, but growled continually, and always appeared in 

 motion. 



The ocelot, especially the male, is extremely beautiful, and its 

 fur is most elegantly variegated. Its general colour is a bright 

 tawny : its forehead and legs are spotted with black, and a stripe 



