NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Methods of taking the prey. 



ardly, and is seldom known to attack men, ex- 

 cept he happen to find them asleep. Though 

 these animals Jive entirely upon prey, and drink 

 blood more frequently than water, Piso asserts 

 that their flesh is as good as veal; and Charle- 

 voix and others have compared it to mutton : 

 DesHiarchais, however, remarks, that it is gene- 

 rally lean, and of a disagreeable flavor. 



The cougar of Cayenne is thus described by 

 M. de la Borde : " Its head is somewhat like that 

 of a common cougar: it has long black hair, a 

 long tail, and large whiskers, but is much smaller 

 than the other." 



When pressed for food, these animals will at- 

 tack cows and oxen : in this case they spring upon 

 their backs, and, having brought them to the 

 ground, tear them to pieces, first opening their 

 breasts and bellies, to glut themselves with the 

 blood ; they then drag pieces of the flesh into 

 the wood, covering the remainder with branches 

 of trees, and keeping near to feed upon it, until 

 it begins to putrify, when they touch it no more. 

 They will keep near a herd of wild hogs, for the 

 purpose of seizing the stragglers, but cautiously 

 avoid being surrounded by them. They often 

 seek for prey on the sea-shore, and devour the 

 eggs left there by the turtles: they also prey on 

 the alligators, lizards, arul fishes: to take the al- 

 ligator they lie down by the edge of the water, 

 which they strike so as to make sufficient noise 

 to attract his attention ; and he no sooner come* 



