THE CARACAL THE YAGUAR THE OUNCE. 97 



tries, but prefers the cold regions of the north to temperate cli- 

 mates. It exists, however, in the forests of Germany ; but the 

 largest and most beautiful of these creatures are taken near the 

 lake Balkash, in Tartary, where a small skin is commonly sold 

 for a pound sterling. The lynx is said to be a long-lived animal. 



THE CARACAL 



Very much resembles the lynx, but yet appears to be of a dif- 

 ferent species, as it is never found in the countries which the 

 former inhabits. It exists only in hot countries, where it gene- 

 rally attends the panther, the ounce, and the lion, especially the 

 last, and lives almost entirely on the refuse of their prey. It is 

 commonly called the lion's provider, and is supposed to be em- 

 ployed by the lion to hunt for his prey by the scent, which in this 

 animal is exceedingly acute. 



THE YAGUAR 



Is an inhabitant of South America, where it is known by the 

 name of the puma ; it is extremely fierce, and, when impelled by 

 hunger, will venture to attack men. It appears to be the most 

 formidable animal of the new continent ; and the natives are ex- 

 ceedingly afraid of it. In travelling through the forests of Guiana, 

 they light great fires in the night, at which these, and indeed all 

 wild animals, are extremely terrified. 



This animal, which is found only in the hottest parts of South 

 America, has by some been confounded with the panther, and 

 by others with the tiger of the former of which it may not im- 

 probably be a species ; but it is very much inferior to the latter, 

 both in strength and ferocity. The skin of the yaguar much re- 

 sembles that of the panther : its colour is a bright tawny : the 

 top of the back is marked with long stripes of black, and the 

 sides are beautifully variegated with irregular oblong spots of 

 the same colour, open in the middle : upon the whole, it appears 

 so nearly to resemble the panther, that those naturalists who 

 have classed it in the same kind, cannot be accused of any egre- 

 gious mistake. 



THE OUNCE 



Is also, by some writers, confounded with the panther, to 

 which, indeed, it bears no small resemblance in the arrangement 

 of its spots. It is, however, much inferior in size, seldom ex- 

 ceeding three feet and a half in length; its hair is longer than 

 that of the panther, as is also its tail considered in proportion to 

 its size. Its colour is also somewhat different, being a light grey, 

 tinned with a yellow cast. 



This animal seems to be more generally diffused than the 



