THE COUOAIi AND LYNXES. 115 



hundred yards away, and announced the matter by a vigor- 

 ous yelping. When it reached a deep but narrow stream 

 that separated the woods from the house it plunged in 

 boldly, clambered up the other side, and sought refuge in 

 a tree. It was soon caught, however, and dragged back to 

 the kennel a degraded, "youling" captive. This incident 

 would prove that the animal will voluntarily take to wa- 

 ter, and it is, I believe, one of the few species of the Felidce 

 that will do it; but my experience is that it will avoid it 

 as carefully as any member of its family unless driven to it 

 by stern necessity. 



A proof that the animal in its wild state can be playful 

 with man sometimes may be deduced from an incident that 

 occurred in Washington Territory. A farmer, on his way 

 to Olympia, the capital of the Territory, was passing one 

 evening over the road that leads through the dense forests 

 which stretch southward for miles from the town. These 

 are almost of Plutonian darkness after the sun sets, owing 

 to their density and towering altitude, so that one cannot 

 see ten paces ahead. While walking leisurely along, he 

 was surprised to feel something touch his leg, and, on look- 

 ing down, was almost dazed to see a huge cougar rubbing- 

 its head against him, and purring pleasantly. Seeing that 

 it was in evident good-humor, while he was defenceless in 

 case of an attack, he moved onward in a sort of half-stupe- 

 fied condition, for his heart was beating violently, and he 

 dared not utter a sound through fear of arousing its anger. 

 The animal accompanied him for a mile or more, and gam- 

 bolled around him in the most playful manner, now running 

 ahead for several yards, then bounding back and rubbing 

 its head and side against him strongly, as a pet house-cat 

 would. Knowing the treacherous nature of the brute, he 

 expected every moment to be assailed ; and the blood was 

 often sent coursing violently and spasmodically through his 

 body, and cold chills crept over him whenever he saw it 

 plunging into the woods, then come leaping toward him at 

 its best pace, and colliding with his legs so vigorously that 

 he feared sometimes that he would be knocked down ; and 



