12-1 DIVISION I. VEKTEKRAL AXIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



true liuns <if A.^i:i :iikI AlVira. Tliis animal inlialiits both Xortli and South 

 America, aUhougli in the North, owing to the advance of civiHzation, its 

 rani^e lias been very much restricted. Tlie puma is aljout the size of a 

 leopard, of a gravisli-rcd color, and has a tail I'rom two to two and a half feet 

 lonu', with a sniall black tuft at tiie end. The nose, chin, throat, and insidcs 

 of the legs, arc grayish-white, and the breast is almost pure white. AVhen 

 vcrv young, the animal is marked with three chains of blaekish-brown spots 

 on the back, besides markings on other parts of the body; these, however, 

 all disappear at maturity. 



It clim!)s trees with great facility, and often watches for its prey in the 

 branches, whence it da.rts down on sheep, deer, or whatc\er animals that 

 chance to pass beneath. 



Although so well pro\idi'(l for a forest life, the puma is often found on 

 the ojicn plains, and is frequently taken ^\■ilh the lasso. This is, indeed, 

 the common mclhod of hunting him. lie is driven from cover b)- the dogs, 

 ■who pursue him until he turns to defend himself. If the dogs ily ujion him, 

 the guacho jumps oiF his horse, and strikes him on the head with balls, to 

 ^\llich an extraordinary momentum can be gi\en. A\ e learn from Captain 

 Head, in his '' luiugh Notes,"' that if the dogs are at bay, and afraid to 

 attack the foe, guacho then hurls his lasso over his head, and galloping 

 away, drags him along the ground, while the hounds rush upon liim and 

 tear him. 



I'iie puma has all the fierceness, if not the daring, of his congeners in 

 the Old World, as the Ibllowing incident will show: — 



Two hunters went out in (juest of game on the Catskill ^fountains, in the 

 State of New York, each armed with a gun, and aeeompanied by his dogs. 

 It was agreed I.)ctwccn them that they should go in contrary dii'cctions round 

 the base of llie hill, and that if either discharged his piece the other slioidd 

 cross the hill as expeditiously as possil)le, to join his eoTupanion in pursuit 

 of the game shot at. Shortly after separating, one heard the other fire, and, 

 agrceabl)^ to tlieir comjtact, hastened to his ecunrade. After searching for 

 him scnne time ^\ ithout effect, he found his dog dead and dreadfully torn. 

 Apprised by lliis discovery tliat the animal shot at was large and ferocious, 

 he became anxious for the fate of his friend, and assiduously continued the 

 search fir him, -when his eyes were suddenly directed, liy the deep growl of 

 !i puma, to the large branch of a tree, where he saw the animal couching 

 on the body of a man, and directing his eyes towards him, apparently hesi- 

 tating whether to descend and make a fresh attack on the survivor, or to 

 relinquish its jirey and take to flight. Conscious ihat much depended on 

 celerity, the hunter ilischarged his piece, and wounded the animal mortally, 

 when it and the man fell from the body of the tree. The surviving dog 



