404 THE CARNIVORES 



markedly the case in the regions near the northern limits of its range. On the other 

 hand, the animal is equally at home in the hot and fetid swamps and cane- 

 brakes bordering the rivers of southern United States, while in South America 

 it is to be found alike on the treeless grassy pampas of Argentina and in the forests 

 of the Amazon. Then, again, in the Rocky mountains, it is stated, on the author- 

 ity of Mr. W. T. Hornaday, that the puma will ascend to the high elevations in- 

 habited by the bighorn sheep, and its tracks have been observed on the summit of 

 Mount Persephone in California, at a height of three thousand feet above the 

 sea level, and in the Chilian Cordillera at an elevation of not less than ten thousand 

 feet. In the Peruvian highlands the puma is also found in the highest forests, and 

 even occasionally ascends to the limits of perpetual snow, while in the dense moun- 

 tain forests of Central America it is commonly found as high up as eight or nine 

 thousand feet. 



As a rule, throughout the widely different regions included in its range, the 

 puma selects for its lair localities affording a certain amount of concealment and 

 protection, usually preferring thickets and copses to dense forests. In Mexico it has 

 been observed that these animals are always jnet with in the most solitary spots, 

 especially such as have a cover of thick bushes, or where there are rocks with 

 caves. In the pampas of Argentina the puma probably has to make the best of the 

 cover afforded by the tussocks of tall grass, or by the banks of the river courses. 



In respect of the daring or otherwise of the puma, there is a considerable 

 amount of discrepancy in the accounts of different writers. It is, however, proba- 

 ble that this diversity of view is mainly owing to the general refusal of the creature 

 to attack human beings having been regarded as indicative of its general character, 

 although diversity of habit in the southern and northern portion of its range is 

 probably also in some degree a factor in the case. Writing of the animal's habits 

 in South America, Mr. Hudson observes that, although the puma is undoubtedly 

 possessed of marvelous courage and daring, yet the account given long ago by the 

 naturalist Azara, that it will never attack or threaten to hurt either man or child, 

 even when found asleep, is not only true, but actually understated. As a matter of 

 fact, not only will the puma refrain from attacking man, but it will not even defend 

 itself against him. It is from this circumstance that, in South America at any rate, 

 the puma has earned its reputation for arrant cowardice. That it is in other re- 

 spects a bold animal in South America Mr. Hudson unhesitatingly asserts, and he 

 backs this opinion by stating that the puma invariably prefers large to small game, 

 in desert regions killing peccaries, tapirs, deer, huanacos, rheas, etc. The number 

 of huanacos killed by pumas in Argentina is attested by the number of their skele- 

 tons found on the pampas with dislocated necks, while, except in regions where 

 prey is scarce, the number of slaughtered deer, with only the flesh of the breast 

 eaten, shows the puma's fastidious habits. Those, observes Mr. Hudson, who 

 have ever hunted the huanaco on the sterile plains and mountains know how wary 

 and keen-scented it is, and consequently what powers of endurance and skill its 

 pursuit must entail on the part of the pursuer. 



In the parts of South America where cattle and horses are largely bred the 

 puma is a terrible scourge. Indeed, so partial is it to horseflesh, that in some 



