THE PUMA 405 



parts of Patagonia it is almost impossible to breed horses owing to the destruction 

 of their colts. An instance is related of a puma springing on a colt among a drove 

 in charge of a driver, and killing it so suddenly by dislocation of the neck that the 

 unfortunate animal was actually dead before it fell to the ground. It further ap- 

 pears that in districts where pumas abound the semi-wild horses of South America 

 can scarcely maintain their existence, owing to the slaughter of their colts ; and this 

 leads Mr. Hudson to suggest that the indigenous horses, which inhabited South 

 America during the Pleistocene epoch, may have been totally exterminated by 

 pumas. The puma does not, however, confine its ravages on horses to the colts, 

 but will also attack and kill full-grown adults. The same is true for cattle, among 

 which calves more generally, and cows rarely, fall victims to the puma's rapacity. 

 Horned cattle are, however, less preferred than sheep, which, next to horseflesh, 

 form its favorite food in pastoral districts. Indeed, so partial are pumas to mutton, 

 that one has been known to make use of a calf pen as a place of concealment from 

 which to raid on a sheepfold, passing through the former without offering to mo- 

 lest its tenants. 



The acme of daring on the part of the South American puma is, however, 

 reached in the attacks which it makes upon the jaguar, to which allusion has been 

 made when treating of the latter animal ; and it appears that in North America the 

 puma exhibits an equally marked hostility to the grizzly bear. In these respects 

 the puma is undoubtedly entitled to be regarded as one of the boldest and fiercest of 

 Carnivores in proportion to its size. 



In regard to its gentleness toward the human race, it appears that so well 

 known is this trait to the Guachos of the pampas as to have led them to apply to it 

 the title of amigo del cristiano ; and it is notorious that in places where pumas 

 abound it is perfectly safe for a child to wander alone, and even sleep on the pampas. 

 A traveler on foot on the pampas, who was compelled by stress of circumstances to 

 make his nightly resting place beneath the shelter of a rock, related to Mr. Hudson 

 that on one occasion four pumas, the two parents and their young, appeared as 

 he was resting during the early part of a moonlight night. ' ' Not feeling the least 

 alarm at their presence, he did not stir ; and after a while they began to gambol 

 close to him, concealing themselves from each other among the rocks just as kittens 

 do, and frequently while pursuing one another leaping over him. He continued 

 watching them till past midnight, when they had left him." The same traveler 

 also related to Mr. Hudson how he had once, and once only, killed a puma, adding 

 that nothing would induce him to kill another. On the occasion referred to a puma 

 was found, which sat perfectly still with its back against a stone, not even moving 

 when lassoed. "My informant," writes Mr. Hudson, "then dismounted, and 

 drawing his knife, advanced to kill it ; still the puma made no attempt to free itself 

 from the lasso, but it seemed to know, he said, 'what was coming, for it began to 

 tremble, the tears ran from its eyes, and it whined in the most pitiful manner. He 

 killed it as it sat there unresisting before him ; but after accomplishing the deed, 

 felt that he had committed a murder." If this were an isolated case, it would not 

 be of much importance, but scores of instances attest that this strange and inexpli- 

 cable behavior is cnaracteristic of the South American puma, and that it almost 



