CANIS V1EGINIANTJS. 87 



a farmyard, although it would readily seize upon any poultry that 

 strayed from home into the woods. In Costa Rica, however, according 

 to Frantzius, it lives by preference in the vicinity of human dwellings, on 

 which account it is difficult to protect poultry from its depredations. 

 However this may be, it is always very fond of birds, and Audubon 

 had once an opportunity of seeing the animal spontaneously " point." 

 It was observed in a field of broom-grass, coursing against the wind 

 and hunting in the manner of a pointer. Suddenly it stood still and 

 squatted on its haunches. Then it went on again, hut with slow and 

 cautious steps, raising its nose to sniff at intervals. Soon it began to 

 crawl and finally made a dead halt, with its ears drawn back and nose 

 but a few inches from the ground. After remaining in this attitude 

 about half a minute, it made a sudden pounce on its prey, and secured 

 a partridge, as the rest of the covey flew away. The animal feeds on 

 any birds it can obtain and their eggs (notably those of the marsh- 

 hen), also on rabbits and small mammals, such as the cotton-rat, 

 Florida rat, and voles. It will, sometimes at least, also eat insects 

 and vegetable food, especially the ears of maize. 



It is often to be seen, Baird tells us, in broad daylight, although it is 

 mainly a nocturnal animal, for the most part only coming forth at 

 twilight from the bushes or tall grass in which it hides by day. 



The sounds emitted by it are somewhat like those of the Coyote 

 (C. latrans), but far less abrupt, so that they cannot with any propriety 

 be called a bark. 



Catesby asserts that they will climb trees, and so escape pursuit, a 

 statement the truth of which has been denied. But Audubon and 

 Bachman tell us. that though they have often seen the Colishe run down 

 and killed by hounds without its having attempted to climb a tree, yet 

 that when its strength begins to fail it will do so if it happens to meet 

 with one the trunk of which slopes sufficiently to enable it to get up. 

 On one occasion a Colishe was observed to leap on a low branch four or 

 five feet from the ground and thence ascend by cautious rather awkward 

 leaps from branch to branch till it got into a lofty fork, where it stopped. 

 It has also been seen to get up a small pine-tree by clasping its stem 

 as a bear would do. When pursued these animals seek the protection 



