4 o 4 CARNIVORES. 



in finding the puma, which generally takes to a tree, but will occasionally 

 stand at bay on the ground. " When attacked," writes Dr. Hart Merriam, who 

 derives much of his information from a Mr. Sheppard, " they never spring after the 

 dogs, but merely act on the defensive. When a dog makes bold to come too near, 

 he receives such an energetic 'cuff' from the puma's 1 paw, that he rarely solicits 

 another. Though possessed of great strength and power, and naturally quick in 

 his movements, the puma is a positive coward. For all that, when seriously 

 wounded, without being entirely crippled, all his latent ferocity is aroused, and he 

 rushes fiercely at his assailants. But even at such times, when in an attitude of 

 supreme anger and rage, and while lashing the snow impetuously with his long 

 tail, anything thrust into his open mouth serves to divert his wrath from the 

 enemy to his weapon. Thus on two occasions, once with an axe and once with the 

 muzzle of his gun, has Mr. Sheppard saved himself and his dogs from mutilation, if 

 not from a horrible death." From this it would appear that the Adirondack puma 

 has not that intense antipathy to dogs which causes its Argentine cousin to rush 

 on them with such ferocity. Whether the charge of arrant cowardice brought 

 against the northern puma by Dr. Merriam is not partially due to some remnant 

 of the passiveness exhibited by the southern form when attacked by man, is a 

 question which may admit of argument. 



We have already mentioned that in the wilder parts of South America, where 

 domesticated animals are not obtainable, a large proportion of the food of the puma 

 is formed by huanacos and deer, while in the northern part of its range deer are 

 the only large animals preyed upon. It must not, however, be considered that the 

 flesh of such animals forms in all cases the chief portion of the puma's diet. Thus, 

 in the dense forests of the Amazon and Orinoco, where several Carnivores tend to 

 assume more or less completely arboreal habits, it is related that pumas have been 

 seen to chase monkeys from bough to bough, and from tree to tree ; and it w r ould 

 thus seem that the flesh of the latter constitutes a considerable proportion of the 

 food of the puma in those regions. Strange as it may at first sight appear, the 

 pumas of the Adirondacks were wont to prey largely upon the porcupines which 

 are found in abundance in that wilderness, and individuals were frequently killed 

 with their mouths and lips, and sometimes other portions of their bodies, absolutely 

 bristling with the quills of porcupines. Whether, however, these animals were 

 selected as an article of food from choice, or whether the pumas were driven to 

 devour them from inability to capture other prey, is uncertain. Be this as it may, 

 porcupines are creatures which, from their sluggish habits and contempt of ordinary 

 foes, may be easily captured, and would be sure to come in the way of the puma 

 during its nocturnal wanderings. Mr. Perry states that the North American puma 

 will eat almost anything, from deer down to rats, mice, fish, and even snails. In 

 the pampas of South America the puma, in addition to the larger animals already 

 mentioned, is stated to prey upon large Rodents like the aguti and the paca, and 

 likewise upon the coati, while it is also said to kill and eat the noisome skunk. 

 The rhea, or South American ostrich, is also at times hunted by the puma on the 

 pampas, while in New Mexico and Arizona, according to Messrs Coues and Yarrow, 

 so severely are the wild turkeys persecuted by it that many hundreds are killed 



1 In quoting from Dr. Merriam we have ventured to substitute the name puma for panther. 



