328 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description. 



CHAP. X. 



" Conceal'd amidst the darksome tangled wood, 

 By hunger stung, and all athirst for blood, 

 The savage jaguar lurks, till man or beast 

 Afford another sanguinary feait." 



.THE JAGUAR. 



THIS fierce and destructive animal is of the 

 feline kind, and is frequently called the Ameri- 

 can tiger, as it nearly resembles that quadruped 

 in its habits and manners. 



In size it is somewhat larger than the wolf, 

 and, when stung by hunger, is exceedingly for- 

 midable; it is then cruel and restless, lying in 

 ambush in the woods and thickets, waiting for 

 its prey, and sparing neither man nor beast. Its 

 manner of feeding is cruel and savage : it rend* 

 its victims both with its teeth and talons, and 

 seems to enjoy the luxury of blood. 



The ground colour of the jaguar is a pale yel- 

 low, on the upper parts of the body variegated 



