406 THE CARNIVORES 



invariably resigns itself to death in this unresisting manner. Very different is, 

 however, the behavior of the puma when attacked by a hunter accompanied by 

 dogs. At such times, the animal is roused to the fiercest paroxysms of rage ; and 

 with hair erect and eyes flashing like balls of lurid fire, it rushes spitting and snarl- 

 ing on the dogs, utterly regardless of the presence of the hunter. So thoroughly 

 indeed is the hunter ignored on such occasions, that he may actually belabor the 

 puma on the head with a cudgel without drawing its attack upon himself; the 

 animal receiving such blows without retaliation, and calmly waiting its opportunity 

 of making a rush upon the dogs. Dogs seem, indeed, invariably to excite the puma 

 to uncontrollable bursts of passion ; and an instance is on record where one of these 

 animals, when taken out of its cage and led by a chain, walked peaceably in front 

 of a crowd of spectators, until, on catching sight of a dog, it suddenly broke 

 away from control, and dashed violently among the people, who scattered in all 

 directions. 



One of the few instances known to Mr. Hudson, where a puma in South 

 America has defended itself against a human being, was related to him by a Guacho. 

 This individual, after an unsuccessful encounter with a jaguar, was riding on the 

 pampas when "a puma started up from the long grass in his path, but made no 

 attempt to run away ; it merely sat up, he said, and looked at him in a provokingly 

 fearless manner. To slay this animal with his knife, and so revenge himself for the 

 defeat he had just suffered, was his first thought. He alighted and secured his 

 horse by tying his fore-feet together, then, drawing his heavy knife, rushed at the 

 puma. Still it did not stir. Raising his weapon he struck with a force which 

 would have split the animal's skull open if the blow had fallen where it was in- 

 tended to fall, but with a quick movement the puma avoided it, and at the same 

 time lifted a foot and with lightning rapidity dealt the aggressor a blow on the face, 

 its unsheathed claws literally dragging down the flesh from his cheek, leaving the 

 bone bare. After inflicting this terrible punishment, and eyeing its fallen foe for a 

 few seconds, it trotted quietly away." Eventually the wounded man recovered 

 from his injuries. 



As a culmination to its generally harmless character where man is concerned, 

 there are stories current to the effect that the puma in South America will actually 

 guard human beings when threatened with attack by other animals. Such an 

 instance is related by Mr. Hudson, where a puma having placed itself by the side of 

 a belated traveler on the pampas, attacked and drove off a jaguar, and this more 

 than once. The narrator believes this anecdote to be strictly true, and remarks 

 that the fact of a puma never making an unprovoked attack on man, and but rarely 

 resisting him when attacked, is not really less wonderful than that it Should follow 

 him and come near him when alone in the wilderness, and even occasionally defend 

 him from the jaguar, the common enemy of both. 



Turning to North America, we find very similar accounts to those related 

 above as to the serious injuries inflicted by pumas in the less settled districts on live 

 stock. Thus in Mexico they are reported to kill large numbers of colts and calves, 

 and on this account are poisoned by the herdsmen with strychnine. In California 

 it is stated to be impossible to breed horses in one district, on account of the 



