88 Anecdotal Natural History. 



The title of American Lion evidently refers to the 

 colour of its fur, which is of an uniform tawny hue 

 like that of the animal after which it is named. The 

 tip of the tail is black also, but does not possess the 

 tuft of hair which is a distinguishing characteristic of 

 the true lion. 



The puma is by no means so large an animal as 

 any of the preceding, seldom exceeding six feet and 

 a half in total length, of which almost one-third is 

 occupied by the tail. The head is remarkably small, 

 causing the animal to appear even less in size than is 

 actually the case. 



It is a rather curious fact that the cubs of the puma 

 should be marked during their infancy with greyish- 

 black stripes, just as are the young of the lion. 

 Besides these, a number of darker spots are visible 

 over the greater part of the body, both stripes and 

 spots disappearing in the course of a few months. 



The puma is another of the tree-climbing cats, and 

 its limbs are wonderfully strong and powerful in order 

 to fit it for its semi-arboreal life. Its habits, when in 

 search of prey, strongly remind one of those of the 

 jaguar, crouching, as it does, like that animal, among 

 the branches of some convenient tree until an animal 

 is unfortunate enough to pass beneath. While resting 

 among the foliage it is remarkably inconspicuous, the 

 body being flattened against a bough, and the dark- 

 tawny fur harmonizing almost perfectly with the bark. 



Although terribly destructive in farmyards and so 

 on, as many as fifty sheep in one district alone having 

 been known to fall victims to the animal in the course 

 of a single night, the puma is not personally feared 

 by the settlers and hunters. When meditating an 

 attack it is even more cautious than the jaguar, often 

 following its quarry for miles without daring to show 

 itself. Even when it summons sufficient courage to 



