HISTORY OF THE JAGUAR 115 



jaguar does intend to attack, he usually does so 

 at once, and without the usual warning of the 

 lion and tiger, which is indicated by throwing 

 the tail up, baring the teeth and uttering violent 

 growls. The great spotted cat runs with belly 

 almost to the ground with lightning-like rapidity 

 until it is within a few feet of its adversary, then 

 springs to the shoulders, which is almost sure to 

 fell any man to the ground, while it sinks its 

 fangs in his neck or thereabouts and lacerates 

 his body with its great claws. 



The jaguar takes its prey in a variety of ways, 

 depending on the animal it selects and its sur- 

 roundings. In many cases the game upon the 

 capture of which his subsistence depends is more 

 fleet of foot than himself, and, therefore, he must 

 resort to strategy to effect its seizure. So, either 

 by stalking or ambushing his prey, his victim is 

 invariably taken by surprise. The jaguar fre- 

 quently strikes down and kills game with a blow 

 of its massive forearm, but in the case of a large 

 quadruped it usually springs for the shoulder and 

 seizes by the throat, while one paw is placed on 

 the muzzle and the other on the neck, and with a 

 single tremendous wrench he breaks the neck. 

 As might be supposed, circumstances often re- 

 quire them to vary their tactics. I have known 



