424 ANIMALS OF THE 



from the tiger of the East. Some, however, 

 have thought proper to rank both together ; and 

 I will take leave to follow their example, merely 

 because the cougar is more like a tiger in every 

 thing, except the colour, than any other animal I 

 know, having the head, the body, and the neck 

 shaped very much in the same manner. Of 

 these slight differences words would give but a 

 very faint idea ; it will be, therefore, sufficient to 

 observe, that they are both equally slender, and 

 are 'smaller, where the neck joins the head, than 

 others of the panther kind. There is one at pre- 

 sent in the Tower ; and it seemed to me, as well 

 as I could see it through the bars, that were it 

 properly streaked and coloured, it would in all 

 things resemble a small tiger. It is, however, of 

 a very different colour, being of a deep brown, 

 and the tail very long and pointed. It is rather 

 darker on the back ; under the chin it is a little 

 whitish, as also on the lower part of the belly. 



Of all the American animals, this is the most 

 formidable and mischievous, even their pretended 

 lion not excepted. It is said there are several 

 sorts of them ; and, as well as I can remember, 

 I have seen one or two here in England, both 

 differing from the present in size and conforma- 

 tion. It is, indeed, a vain endeavour to attempt 

 to describe all the less obvious varieties in the 

 cat kind. If we examine them minutely, we 

 shall find the differences multiply upon us so 

 much, that, instead of a history, we shall only be 

 paid with a catalogue of distinctions. From such 

 of them as I have seen within these last six years, 



