THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 187 



supposed it was a fox, and taking a loaded gun and 

 a torch, they went to the scene of the robbery. As 

 they peered into the poultry-house, they perceived 

 the animal, but still ignorant of its character they 

 fired. The creature gave a yell that thrilled them 

 with horror, and dropping their torch, they retreated 

 to the house, but upon going out again, when all was 

 silent, they found the panther lying dead. The 

 females carefully conceal their young until they are 

 half-grown, and so effectually do they accomplish it, 

 that during a life time spent in the forest, I never 

 found a nest with young in it. I once saw a panther 

 thrust her head ont of a hole in an old hollow tree, 

 but as I had no gun or axe, I went home, and in a 

 few days returned and cut down the tree. I found 

 in it a snug, warm nest, which she had occupied 

 with her young but she had seen me, and removed 

 them to other quarters. They seldom have more 

 than one at a time, and never more than two, which 

 they probably rear in holes near the tops of trees. 

 The bear is the only animal that can cope with the 

 panther. I once witnessed an encounter between a 

 bear and a panther. From its superior agility the 

 panther had the advantage at first, but when the 

 bear became enraged by his wounds, he grasped his 

 antagonist in his powerful paws, crushing and biting 

 him to death almost instantly. Its gait is the same 

 as that of a cat, treading stealthily along upon its 

 toes, when moving at leisure, but when pursued or 

 pursuing and it wishes to accelerate its pace, it moves 

 in tremendous bounds, passing over the ground so 



