HABITS OF THE JAGUAR. 81 



that starts from out the stream. The Indian will 

 tell you that when thus stationed, they drop 

 their saliva into the water, and this attracts by its 

 novelty the unsuspecting fish, who while swimming 

 round are seized by the Jaguar and thrown on 

 shore. It would be well for the American farmer 

 if the depredations of the Jaguar were restricted to 

 the finny tribes, but he often destroys the largest 

 animals by leaping on their backs; and placing one 

 paw upon the head, another on the muzzle, he 

 breaks the neck of his victim. In this manner 

 cows and horses frequently become his prey; he 

 then drags them with his teeth to a considerable 

 distance and devours them at his leisure. D'Azara 

 tells us that he once ordered the body of a horse, 

 which had been destroyed by one of these fierce 

 creatures, to be drawn within musket-shot of the 

 tree in which he intended to pass the night, lest the 

 Jaguar, who had evidently been disturbed, should 

 return when evening came on in order to seize his 

 prey. But while D'Azara w r as gone to prepare for 

 a probable rencontre, the animal came back from the 

 opposite side of a large and deep river, and having 

 seized the horse with his teeth, drew it for about 

 sixty paces to the water's edge : he then plunged in 

 and swam with his victim into a neighbouring 

 wood ; and this was done so instantaneously that 

 the person whom D'Azara had left concealed was 

 unable to give the least alarm. 



The natives hunt the Jaguar in his wildest fast- 

 nesses by the assistance of fierce dogs ; and these, 

 though unable to vanquish, drive him to take 

 refuge in some thicket or cavern. From the first 



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