58 



There is in some parts of India a popular 

 notion, tliat the rhinoceros and the tiger were 

 in friendship, because they are found near each 

 other. In America the bones of the rhino- 

 ceros and megalonyx are in the same vicinity : 

 but I do not attribute this to any former friend- 

 ship that existed between them. The truth is, 

 the rhinoceros loves to wallow in the mire, and, 

 on that account, frequents salines and the banks 

 of rivers : the megalonyx, to quench his thirst, 

 or find his prey, remained contiguous to the 

 same places. 



Nor do I stand alone in the opinion, that 

 animals of the lion race have inhabited Ame- 

 rica ; and though M. BufFon even denies the 

 panther to belong to that country, Mr. Pennant 

 thinks, that the same, or a variety at least, in- 

 habits it. The figure of the species describ;^d 

 by Faber, under the name of tigris Mexicana, 

 agrees exactly with that of the panther, as does 

 also the description in general. M. Conda- 

 mini, and Le Pere Cattano, speak of the tigers 

 of America as equal and even superior in size 

 to those of Africa, and the colour as bright 

 SIS gold ; and Ulloa describes them as big as a 

 horse ! Notwithstanding the venders of furs 



