260 Wild Beasts 



be the case when aborigines are forced to particularize ; 

 but in common parlance one hears only the sobriquet 

 " leon" bestowed by all classes of people on the puma. 



There is but one true species found in America, and 

 this is distributed in all parts of the continent. The 

 average length from tip to tip may be given at about six 

 and a half feet. In maturity the skin is of a uniform 

 tawny hue on the back and sides, with some deepening 

 of shade in the case of individuals. Cubs are born with 

 dark stripes upon the body, and spots on the neck and 

 shoulders. Garcilasso de la Vega (" Royal Commentaries ") 

 speaking of this beast as the tutelar of certain noble 

 Peruvian families, and probably their eponymous ancestor, 

 says : " A Spaniard whom I knew killed a large lioness 

 (female puma) in the country of the Antis, near Cuzco. 

 She had climbed into a high tree, and was slain by four 

 thrusts of a lance. There were two whelps in her body 

 which were sons of a tiger (jaguar), for their skins were 

 marked with the sire's spots." 



Like all Felidce except the cheeta or hunting leopard, 

 the limbs have little free play ; they are not adapted to 

 continued rapid locomotion, being short and massive, very 

 powerful, but somewhat limited in variety of action, and 

 more capable of extreme and spasmodic efforts than of 

 persistent use. The animal is very arboreal in its habits, 

 and its climbing powers and general dexterity are not 

 surpassed by any species belonging to this family. 



Like true panthers, these cougars, carcajous, catamounts 

 or pumas (the native title is sassu-arana or false deer) are, 

 according to H. W. Bates (" The Naturalist on the River 



