PUMA. 401 



colts, but will also attack and kill full-grown adults. The same is true for cattle, 

 among which calves more generally, and cows rarely, fall victims to the puma's 

 rapacity. Horned cattle are, however, less preferred than sheep, which, next to 

 horse-flesh, form its favourite food in pastoral districts. Indeed, so partial are 

 pumas to mutton, that one has been known to make use of a calf-pen as a place 

 of concealment from which to raid on a sheep-fold, passing through the former 

 without offering to molest its tenants. 



The acme of daring on the part of the South American puma is, however, 

 reached in the attacks which it makes upon the jaguar, to which allusion has been 

 made when treating of the latter animal ; and it appears that in North America the 

 puma exhibits an equally marked hostility to the grizzly bear. In these respects 

 the puma is undoubtedly entitled to be regarded as one of the boldest and fiercest 

 of Carnivores in proportion to its size. 



In regard to its gentleness towards the human race, it appears that so well 

 known is this trait to the Guachos of the pampas as to have led them to apply to 

 it the title of amigo del cristiano ; and it is notorious that in places where 

 pumas abound it is perfectly safe for a child to wander alone, and even sleep, 

 on the pampas. A traveller on foot on the pampas, who was compelled by 

 stress of circumstances to make his nightly resting-place beneath the shelter of a 

 rock, related to Mr. Hudson how that on one occasion four pumas, the two parents 

 and their young, appeared as he was resting during the early part of a moonlight 

 night. " Not feeling the least alarm at their presence, he did not stir ; and after a 

 while they began to gambol close to him, concealing themselves from each other 

 among the rocks, just as kittens do, and frequently while pursuing one another 

 leaping over him. He continued watching them till past midnight, when they had 

 left him." The same traveller also related to Mr. Hudson how he had once, and 

 once only, killed a puma, adding that nothing would induce him to kill another. 

 On the occasion referred to a puma was found, which sat perfectly still with its 

 back against a stone, not even moving when lassoed. " My informant," writes Mr. 

 Hudson, " then dismounted, and drawing his knife, advanced to kill it ; still the 

 puma made no attempt to free itself from the lasso, but it seemed to know, he said, 

 what was coming, for it began to tremble, the tears ran from its eyes, and it whined 

 in the most pitiful manner. He killed it as it sat there unresisting before him ; but, 

 after accomplishing the deed, felt that he had committed a murder." If this were 

 an isolated case, it would not be of much importance, but scores of instances attest 

 that this strange and inexplicable behaviour is characteristic of the South American 

 puma, and that it almost invariably resigns itself to death in this unresisting 

 manner. Very different is, however, the behaviour of the puma when attacked 

 by a hunter accompanied by dogs. At such times, the animal is roused to the 

 fiercest paroxysms of rage ; and with hair erect and eyes flashing like balls of lurid 

 fire, it rushes spitting and snarling on the dogs, utterly regardless of the presence 

 of the hunter. So thoroughly indeed is the hunter ignored on such occasions, 

 that he may actually belabour the puma on the head with a cudgel without drawing 

 its attack upon himself ; the animal receiving such blows without retaliation, and 

 calmly waiting its opportunity of making a rush upon the dogs. Dogs seem, 

 indeed, invariably to excite the puma to uncontrollable bursts of passion ; and an 



VOL. i. 26 



