THE COUGAR AND LYNXES. 109 



will flee before man, but is exceedingly fierce and daring 

 when pressed by hunger, when wounded, or when defend- 

 ing its young. Affection for the latter is manifested only 

 by the mother, however, for the male would destroy and 

 eat them did he have the oppoi-tunity ; and even the fe- 

 male is not always safe from his sudden and ungallant 

 temper. 



The favorite haunts of the cougar are amidst the deep- 

 est recesses of the forest, where it can obtain food and the 

 close concealment so natural to its habits ; and, being noc- 

 turnal in character, it seeks its prey principally at night, 

 or early in the morning. It is seldom seen abroad during 

 the day, unless severely pressed by hunger; and then it 

 will go boldly anywhere and face man without a moment's 

 hesitation, or make a raid on a farm-yard despite the pro- 

 tests of furious dogs. In the forests of the North-west, 

 however, it is seldom compelled to risk its life to procure 

 food, as it can obtain a plentiful supply without much 

 trouble, owing to the abundance of deer, hares, squirrels, 

 and other small animals, which it captures readily by 

 bounding upon them suddenly from a tree or the thick 

 undergrowth of the forests, where it always lies in conceal- 

 ment. Whatever it catches, let it be small or large, it first 

 cuts open the throat and drinks the blood, and if its appe- 

 tite is not then satisfied it devours the flesh ; and should 

 any remain over, it is carefully covered with leaves, to be 

 kept for the next meal, or a "rainy day." When lying in 

 wait for its prey, it seeks the shelter of a thicket or crouch- 

 es on the lower branches of a tree; and the moment a 

 hare, a deer, or even a wolf passes by, it jumps on its 

 back, and, fastening its claws in the sides of the poor cap- 

 tives, cuts open the neck or throat in a few seconds. Its 

 strength may be inferred from the fact that it can drag 

 a deer, weighing perhaps one ^hundred and fifty pounds, a 

 long distance, and can run quite rapidly with a large dog 

 in its mouth. It has been known to kill a sheep, and with- 

 out doing anything more to it than to drink its blood, 

 bound away with the carcass at such a rate of speed that 



