THE COUGAR AND LYNXES. 



Ill 



proaching them to within a distance of thirty yards, he 

 fired both barrels at their heads in rapid succession, and 

 killed them in their tracks. Both were full-grown, heavy 

 animals, and that they were possessed of strength was 

 prdVed by the number of wounds on their bodies, and the 

 manner in which the ground was torn up. 



A proof that the cougar is no mean foe to encounter 

 may be illustrated by the following anecdote : 



A farmer in Oregon was returning home one day from 

 market at a rather late hour, but he had not proceeded 

 half a mile from town before he met a large cougar on the 



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OONCVLOE — THE PUMA. 



road. Being unarmed, he did not care to assail it; and as 

 he did not want to retreat or take the trouble of flanking 

 it by cutting across fields, he picked up a stone and fired 

 at it, to drive it away; but, instead of complying with his 

 desires, it crouched on the ground, as if preparing for a 

 spring. Not liking its actions by any means, he gave a 

 fierce shout ; but, instead of fleeing, as it generally does, 

 from the human voice, it bounded at him, and, striking him 

 full on the breast, knocked him down. Then commenced 

 a fierce struggle between man and beast. The latter caught 

 the former by the upper part of the arm and fastened its 



