ORDER V. THE CARXIVORA. 127 



and beneath the left slioiihler. The ooiigar writlicd for a moment in agony, 

 and in another lay dead." 



It is said the puma may he tamed ^^■ithout difficulty, and is susceptible of 

 attachment and aifection. jMr. ^\"ilson says it rejoices greatly in the society 

 of those to whose company it is accustomed, lies down upon its back between 

 their feet, and plays with the skirts of their garments, entirely after the 

 manner of a kitten. It shows a great predilection for water, and frc(|ucntly 

 jumps into and out of a large tub, rolling itself about, and seemingly great- 

 ly pleased with the refreshment. While in London, it made its escape into 

 the street during the night, but allowed itself to be taken up by a watch- 

 man, without offering even a show of resistance. It was brought i'rom the 

 city of St. Paul's, the capital of the district of that name, in the 15razilian 

 enijiire. During the voyage it was in habits of intiuiacy with several dogs 

 and monkeys, none of which it ever attempted to injure, nor did it even 

 attempt to return the petty insults which the latter sometimes otiercd ; but 

 if an unfortunate fowl or goat came within its reach, it was inuncdiately 

 snapped up and slain. 



There are three other species allied to the foregoing, — the Black Puma 

 (^Fiilig nifjra), an extremely ferocious animal, entirely black, with pale, 

 greenish-blue eyes ; in length, about thirty-three and a half inches, exclusive 

 of the tail, which is thirteen: the Yaguarundi {^F. /(((jiKirntidi) is a nati^•e 

 of I'araguay and Cfuiana, from three to four feet fnur iuclies iu length; 

 color, a deep gray. It frequents the borders of wonds and thickets, is a 

 ready and agile climber, and feeds on birds and small animals : the Eyra 

 of Azara (/*'. cyr'?), is a small species, not exceeding twenty inclics in 

 length, of a reddish brown color, excepting the under jaw and a small 

 spot on each side of the nose, which are white. Very little appears to be 

 known of the habits and dispositions of these animals, although it is said 

 that the black puma is easily tamed. 



The Ticer (FeJis tiffruiis). (yee Plate XII.) — This animal is as 

 large as the lion, but has a longer body and rounder head. There is but 

 one species, confined exclusively to Asia. Its color is a bright reddish-buff 

 above, with irregular black transverse stripes, and piu'e white underneath. 

 It is a most cruel and treacherous beast, and the scourge of the country it 

 inhabits. Its strength, says Cuvicr, is so great, and its movements so 

 rapid, that, during the march of an army, it has been known to seize a sol- 

 dier on horseback, and bear him off to the jangle, without aifording a chance 

 of rescue. 



The tiger abounds in nearly all the warmer regions of Asia ; but the 

 great nursing-jilaces of these animals, — th.eir cradle, as Tcraminck terms it, 

 — is the peninsula of Hindostan, the vast jungles of this rich country lining 



