THE PUMA 71 



in its power, but even defended them against other wild animals. 

 The fact that the Puma in captivity is undoubtedly less dangerous 

 and more tractable than almost any other large Cat, goes a good way 

 towards substantiating these ideas as to its natural disposition towards 

 humanity, with whom it may have some instinctive inclination to 

 friendship, such as, in the Dog, has made the latter animal domestic- 

 able. A similar case would be the natural attachment which that 

 curious little animal, the South African Meerkat (Suricata tetradactyld) 

 shows, when tamed, to the Dog itself. 



In spite of this amiability or at any rate comparative inoffensiveness 

 towards man's person, the Puma is, by its inroads on his live-stock, 

 one of the most noxious animals he has to deal with, and is consequently 

 persecuted by him wherever it is found. In consequence of this, it has 

 been exterminated in all anciently settled districts, and is now rare over 

 most of the United States, for instance. 



In compensation it supplies a useful skin, which is employed by the 

 Patagonian Indians for their mantles and boots, though for the latter 

 the hind-leg of a large specimen only will serve. These people also eat 

 and appreciate the flesh of the Puma, which is generally pretty fat even 

 in spring, when Guanacos and Rheas are lean. Captain Musters, living 

 with the Indians and faring as they did, as described in his very inte- 

 resting book "At Home in Patagonia," says that Puma "goes better" 

 boiled than roasted, and that it tastes like pork. 



Compared with the Lion and Leopard, the Puma, like the Tiger, 

 is a remarkably silent animal ; in the breeding season, however, it 

 expresses its feelings in a kind of magnified caterwauling, and tame 

 well-disposed specimens in captivity purr like cats. The Puma does 

 well in this condition, and sometimes breeds, having one or two cubs 

 in a litter, though in a wild state twice as many are produced. It is 

 not, however, so commonly kept as the Leopard, being a less attractive 

 exhibit ; indeed, our leading dealer in India, the late W. Rutledge, once 

 told me that the native rajahs formerly great amateurs of animals 

 did not care about it, regarding it as "only a Cat." As might be 

 expected, it stands the climate of Bengal as well as that of England. 



