ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 49 



The cougar climbs trees with surprising agility ; its cry is 

 peculiar, closely resembling the wailing of a child, and in the 

 early settlement of the country has sent a thrill of horror 

 through a whole neighborhood. 



The following interesting account of the last recorded 

 capture of the cougar in Canada was courteously handed to 

 the writer by H. R. Gray, Esq., of Montreal, just previous 

 to going to press : " On October 3rd, 1863, as Jacques 

 Gamelin, of La Baie Lavallieres, or St Francis, on the 

 River St. Lawrence, and two other men, were proceeding 

 in a bateau to Sorel, C. E., being at the time about four 

 arpents (acres) from land, they were suddenly attacked by 

 a large panther, which swam off and succeeded in laying 

 hold of the boat. Not having fire-arms or other defensive 

 weapons on board, they were obliged to resist the attack 

 with a boat-hook and oars, and after a lengthened struggle, 

 during which the animal displayed great obstinacy combined 

 with strength, he was at last killed, but not before he had 

 actually succeeded in getting his powerful fore-paws on deck ; 

 not being able to make his accustomed spring, in consequence 

 of his hind-quarters being under water, he was incapable of 

 injuring either of the men. He was killed and his body sent 

 to Montreal, where it fell into the possession of and was 

 stuffed by Mr. Craig, the well-known taxidermist." Its 

 weight was 131 Ibs., measured three feet from tip of the 

 nose to the root of the tail. 



Hunters and surveyors build a large fire at night, which 

 serves to keep this cautious animal at a distance. Under such 

 circumstances, it will sometimes approach within a few rods 

 of the fire, and they have been thus shot by aiming between 

 the glaring eye-balls, when nothing else was visible. It will 

 seldom attack a person in the day time, unless provoked or 

 wounded. The following account, showing the strength and 

 ferocity of this creature, is taken from Godman : " Two 

 hunters, accompanied by two dogs, went out in quest of game 

 D 



