XU THE PUMA AND ITS-YOUNG 399 
tigre, only somewhat less... . But I have wisht them farther 
off when I have met them in the woods; because their aspect 
appears so very stately and fierce.” 
Fic. 198.—Ocelot. Felis pardalis. x+y. 
The Puma, /. concolor, the American Lion as it is called in 
the north, is a rather smaller animal than the last, and of a 
uniform tawny colour, tending to white on the abdomen and to 
a dark stripe along the back. The young, as already mentioned, 
are very distinctly spotted. Like the Tiger, the Puma can 
endure extremes of heat and cold; it is equally at home in 
the snow of North America and among the tropical forests 
and swamps of the south. It is a ferocious creature so far as 
concerns Deer, Lamas, Raccoons, even Skunks and Itheas, but, 
according to Mr. W. H. Hudson, will not attack man, and will 
even defend him against the Jaguar.’ In captivity the Puma 
will purr like a Cat. 
The Eyra, / eyra, is another self-coloured American cat, 
which has a curious lkeness to the totally distinet Cryptoprocta 
of Madagascar. 
The Wild Cat of Europe, / catus, is found over the greater 
part of Europe, and also in Northern Asia. It was undoubtedly 
common at one time in this country, though it appears never to 
have extended its range into Ireland. But the real Wild Cat is 
now rare in this island, and is confined to certain districts in 
1 But Mr. Belt says that the ‘‘Tigre” never attacks man unless it be 
provoked, 
