PUMA. 107 



pacious quadrupeds of the New World. Both these, as 

 will subsequently appear, seem to climb trees : although 

 Azara states that the puma alone ascends the highest 

 trees with celerity and ease ; he likewise considers it 

 more as an inhabitant of the plains than of the forests. 

 The following story is so totally irreconcileable with 

 the timidity of this animal towards man, attributed to it 

 by Azara, that we are much inclined to doubt whether 

 there may not be two distinct races, or varieties, per- 

 haps, of this species in America, — one inhabiting the 

 north, the other the south. The story, however, seems 

 well authenticated, since it has been given us by major 

 Smith, who saw the skin of the animal itself preserved 

 in Mr. Skudder's museum at New York. It may be 

 thus abridged: — Some few years back, two hunters, 

 each with a dog and gun, went on the Katskill Moun- 

 tains in pursuit of game. Arriving there, they agreed to 

 separate ; but settled that, so soon as one fired, the other 

 should join his companion as quickly as possible. Shortly 

 after this, one of the party, hearing the other fire, hast- 

 ened with all expedition to the spot : his companion, 

 however, could no where be found ; but, after much 

 search, his dog was discovered dead, and dreadfully torn. 

 Becoming more alarmed for the fate of his companion, 

 the remaining hunter was continuing his search, when 

 his eyes were suddenly directed, by the deep growl of a 

 puma, to the large branch of a tree, where he saw the 

 animal couching on the mangled body of his friend, 

 while his eyes glared upon him, apparently hesitating 

 whether to attack the survivor, or to relinquish its prey 

 and take to flight. It was a moment of imminent danger ; 

 life or death seemed to hang upon the action of an in- 

 stant. Courage, however, did not forsake the hunter : 

 he fired; and the sanguinary murderer, still grasping his 

 prey, fell upon the ground mortally wounded. The 

 surviving dog immediately flew at the prostrate beast, 

 but was laid dead by its side, by a single blow of its 

 paw. In this state of things, — his comrade dead, and 

 the wounded animal still capable of inflicting such re- 



