II THE FATHER OF GAME 41 



territory, the extent of which was determined by 

 their ability to hunt over it, and to defend it from 

 rivals of their own species, for they had nothing 

 else to fear. 



It is an interesting speculation, indeed, whether 

 the apparent cowardice of the northern puma is 

 not in reality ignorance of danger, since he may 

 not suppose that man is more to be feared than 

 other large animals, whose attack he has no reason 

 to dread, even though, as in the case of the moose 

 and bison, he might hesitate to become himself the 

 attacking party. The conspicuously greater cour- 

 age of the African and Asiatic cats might easily 

 have arisen from the need of frequently fighting 

 for their quarry with competitors as capable as 

 themselves, and from their constant encounters 

 with large and well-armed game, such as the rhi- 

 noceros, buffalo, and long-horned antelopes. Fierce 

 battles are reported, however, as occurring between 

 the California puma and grizzly bears. 



It is not the habit of the puma to wander far 

 from the den, where a single family seems to make 

 its home. Whether a mate is taken for life is not 

 known, but at least it seems probable that a change 

 of partners is not made with each recurring season. 

 The male and female hunt separately, however, and 

 sportsmen assert that the latter is the better hunter 

 of the two. This, if true, is perhaps a result of 

 greater need and more constant practice, since she 

 must get food not only for herself, but for her 



