THE JAGUAR. 47 



LA PLATA. 



They commit, also, at these times, great ravages among cattle 

 and horses. It is said that they kill their prey by breaking 

 their necks. If driven from the carcass, they seldom return 

 to it. The jaguar is a noisy animal, roaring much by night, 

 and especially before bad weather. 



One day, when hunting on the banks of the Uruguay, 

 I was shown certain trees to which these animals constantly 

 resort, for the purpose, as it is said, of sharpening their claws. 

 I saw three well-known trees; in front, the bark was worn 

 smooth, as if by the breast of the animal, and on each side 

 there were deep scratches, or rather grooves, nearly a yard 

 in length. The scars were of different ages. A common 

 mode of finding out whether a jaguar is in the neighborhood, 

 is to examine one of these trees. I imagine this habit of 

 the jaguar is exactly similar to one which may any day be 

 seen in the common cat, as with outstretched legs and un- 

 covered claws it scrapes the leg of a chair; and I have 

 heard of young fruit-trees in an orchard in England having 

 been thus much injured. Some such habit must also be com- 

 mon to the puma, for on the bare, hard soil of Patagonia, I 

 have frequently seen scores so deep that no other animal 

 could have made them. The object of this practice is, I be- 

 lieve, to tear off the ragged points of their claws, and not, as 

 the Gauchos think, to sharpen them. The jaguar is killed, 

 without much difficulty, by the aid of dogs baying and driv- 

 ing him up a tree, where he is despatched with bullets. 



The Gauchos differ in their opinion whether the jaguar 

 is good eating, but are unanimous in saying that puma is 

 excellent. 



