HISTORY OF THE JAGUAR 101 



occurrence. From the Rio Grande south they 

 become more plentiful, ranging through Mexico, 

 Central America, and as far south as Patagonia 

 in South America. 



The true home of the jaguar, however, seems 

 to be in the thickly wooded jungle country of 

 South America and usually not far from water. 

 Here he reigns supreme, the lord of the jungle. 

 Don Felix de Azara states that when the Spanish 

 first settled in the district between Montevideo 

 and Santa Fe, as many as two thousand men were 

 killed yearly. This seems almost incredible, but 

 I have no doubt at that early date many suc- 

 cumbed to the attacks of El Tigre. Charles Dar- 

 win found this species in great numbers living in 

 the basin of the La Plata River in the reed belts 

 along the shores of the lakes and rivers. Unlike 

 the puma, jaguars seem to require a constant sup- 

 ply of water. In contradiction of this, and show- 

 ing a well-known fact that animals will frequent- 

 ly alter their generally conceded habits, accord- 

 ing to their changed surroundings, the jaguar is 

 found on the great pampas to the north of Pata- 

 gonia, a place totally unfitted to its usual habits, 

 where it has been attracted by the abundance of 

 mammalian prey, to inhabit those cold, treeless 

 and desolate tracts. 



