130 THE STORY OF THE MOUNTAIN LION. 



mounted, and drawing my knife, advanced to kill it; still the puma made no 

 attempt to free itself from the lasso, but it seemed to know what was coming, 

 for it began to tremble, the tears ran from its eyes, and it whined in the most 

 pitiful manner. I killed it as it sat there unresisting before me; but, after 

 accomplishing the deed, felt that I had committed a murder. If this were an 

 isolated case, it would not be of much importance, but scores of instances attest 

 that this strange and inexplicable behavior is characteristic of the South Ameri- 

 can puma, and that it almost invariably resigns itself tO' death in this unresist- 

 ing manner. Very different is, however, the behavior of the puma when 

 attacked by a hunter accompanied by dogs. At such times, the animal is 

 roused tO' the fiercest paroxysms of rage ; and with hair erect and eyes flash- 

 ing like balls of lurid fire, it rushes spitting and snarling on the dogs, utterly 

 regardless oi the presence of the hunter. So thoroughly indeed is the hunter 

 ignored on such occasions, that he may actually belabor the puma on the head 

 with a cudgel without drawing its attack upon himself; the animal receiving 

 such blows without retaliation, and calmly waiting its opportunity of making 

 a rush upon the dogs. 



Strange as it may at first sight appear, the pumas of the Adirondacks were 

 wont to prey largely upon the porcupines which are found in abundance in 

 that wilderness, and individuals were frequently killed with their mouths and 

 lips, and sometimes other portions of their bodies, absolutely bristling with 

 the quills of porcupines. Whether, however, these animals were selected as 

 an article of food from choice, or whether the pumas were driven tO' devour 

 them from inability to capture other prey, is uncertain. Be this as it may, 

 porcupines are creatures which, from their sluggish habits and contempt of 

 ordinary foes, may be easily captured, and would be sure to come in the way of 

 the puma during its nocturnal wanderings. The North American puma will 

 eat UmO'St anything, from deer down to rats, mice, fish and even snails. 



