CREATURES OF THE WILDERNESS 235 



indigenous wild animals to attract the sports- 

 man, and it is doubtful whether one of these 

 would of itself constitute an attraction to any- 

 one not visiting the continent with some pur- 

 pose other than sport. 



PUMA AND JAGUAR 



These two great cats, respectively known to 

 Americans as the " tiger " and "lion," are also 

 found in North America, but are more charac- 

 teristic of the southern continent, where they 

 extend to the southern limit of Patagonia. As 

 regards the United States, the jaguar is still 

 found in southern Texas and the puma as far 

 north as Wyoming and Montana, as well as in 

 Florida, Colorado, Texas, and California. 



The puma, also called cougar, may measure 

 over 5 feet in length, without the tail, which 

 is another 3 feet, but this would be an un- 

 commonly large specimen. The largest come 

 from Colorado, and in that State also pumas 

 seem to be more plentiful than elsewhere. 



The puma is hunted with dogs, which tree 

 it, when it may be shot, or even knifed, with- 

 out much risk to the sportsman, though a 

 wounded puma may at times turn nasty and 

 do considerable damage before it is despatched. 

 It was said at one time that the puma was a 

 kind-hearted beast, reluctant to attack a man. 



