4 o8 THE CARNIVORES 



nonresistance which is its most remarkable trait in South America. At the time 

 when pumas were abundant in the Adirondack mountains, they were hunted in the 

 snow during the depth of winter, when the hunter, in his snowshoes, made side 

 circuits until he hit off a trail. Generally such a track led to the carcass of a 

 deer recently killed and partially eaten. And here it may be remarked that in re- 

 gard to their prey the Adirondack pumas differ from those of Argentina, in that, at 

 least in winter, they will return again and again to a " kill," until the carcass is 

 nearly or completely devoured. This may, however, be due to the circumstance 

 that while in the hot plains of the Argentine the flesh of a slain animal would soon 

 become tainted, it would remain fresh for a long period among the snows of the 

 Adirondacks. 



When such a ' ' kill ' ' is found the hunter looses his dogs, who soon succeed in 

 finding the puma, which generally takes to a tree, but will occasionally stand at 

 bay on the ground. "When attacked," writes Dr. Hart Merriam, who derives 

 much of his information from a Mr. Sheppard, "they never spring after the dogs, 

 but merely act on the defensive. When a dog makes bold to come too near, he re- 

 ceives such an energetic 'cuff' from the puma's* paw, that he rarely solicits another. 

 Though possessed of great strength and power, and naturally quick in his 

 movements, the puma is a positive coward. For all that, when seriously wounded, 

 without being entirely crippled, all his latent ferocity is aroused, and he rushes fiercely 

 at his assailants. But even at such times, when in an attitude of supreme anger 

 and rage, and while lashing the snow impetuously with his long tail, anything 

 thrust into his open mouth serves to divert his wrath from the enemy to his weapon. 

 Thus on two occasions, once with an axe and once with the muzzle of his gun, 

 has Mr. Sheppard saved himself and his dogs from mutilation, if not from a horri- 

 ble death. ' ' From this it would appear that the Adirondack puma has not that in- 

 tense antipathy to dogs which causes its Argentine cousin to rush on them with 

 such ferocity. Whether the charge of arrant cowardice brought against the north- 

 ern puma by Dr. Merriam is not partially due to some remnant of the passiveness 

 exhibited by the southern form when attacked by man, is a question which may ad- 

 mit of argument. 



We have already mentioned that in the wilder parts of South America, where 

 domesticated animals are not obtainable, a large proportion of the food of the puma is 

 formed by huanacos and deer, while in the northern part of its range deer are the 

 only large animals preyed upon. It must not, however, be considered that the 

 flesh of such animals forms in all cases the chief portion of the puma's diet. Thus, 

 in the dense forests of the Amazon and Orinoco, where several Carnivores tend to 

 assume more or less completely arboreal habits, it is related that pumas have been 

 seen to chase monkeys from bough to bough, and from tree to tree ; and it would 

 thus seem that the flesh of the latter constitutes a considerable proportion of the food 

 of the puma in those regions. Strange as it may at first sight appear, the pumas of 

 the Adirondacks were wont to prey largely upon the porcupines which are found in 

 abundance in that wilderness, and individuals were frequently killed with their 

 mouths and lips, and sometimes other portions of their bodies, absolutely bristling 



*In quoting from Dr. Merriam we have ventured to substitute the name puma for panther. 



