194 lawson's history 



not good, for the best dog in Europe is nothing 

 in their paws ; but if ever they get him in their 

 clutches, they blow his skin from his flesh like a 

 bladder, and often kill him ; or if he recovers it 

 he is never good for anything after. As the paws 

 of this creature are held for the best bit about him, 

 so is the head esteemed the worst, and always 

 thrown away, for what reason I know not. I be- 

 lieve none ever made trial thereof, to know how 

 it eats. The oil of the bear is very sovereign for 

 strains, aches and old pains. The fine fur at the 

 bottom of the belly is used for making hats, in 

 some places the fur itself is fit for several uses, as 

 for making muffs, facing caps, &c., but the black 

 cub skin is preferable to all sorts of that kind for 

 muffs. Its grain is like hog skin. 



The panther is of the cat kind, about the height 

 of a very large grey hound of a reddish color, the 

 same as a lion. He climbs trees with the greatest 

 agility imaginable, is very strong limbed, catching 

 a piece of meat from any creature he strikes at. 

 His tail is exceeding long ; his eyes look very 

 fierce and lively, are large and of a grayish color ; 

 his prey is swine's flesh, deer, or anything he can 

 take ; no creature is so nice and clean as this in 

 his food. When he has got his prey he fills his 

 belly with the slaughter and carefully lays up the 

 remainder, covering it very neatly with leaves, 

 which if anything touches, he never eats any more 

 of it. He purrs as cats do ; if taken when young 

 is never to be reclaimed from his wild nature. He 



