THE PUMA. 51 
Lion. His young, like those of the latter animal, have a 
peculiar livery, consisting in spots of a darker shade 
than the rest of their fur, scattered over every part of the 
body, but only visible in a particular light, and disap- 
pearing entirely at the adult age. ‘There is no difference 
whatever in colour between the sexes, the fur of the 
female being in every respect similar to that of the male: 
in size the latter is superior to his mate; and his head, a 
part which in the female is disproportionately small, 
corresponds better with the general form of his body. 
More circumspect, or rather more cowardly, than any 
of the larger species of his cautious tribe, he is, notwith- 
standing his much greater magnitude, scarcely more 
dangerous than the common wild cat, preying only 
upon the smaller species of animals, seldom venturing 
to attack any living creature of greater size or courage 
than a sheep, and flying from the face of man with more 
than usual terror. But this cowardice is also, in a state 
of nature, connected with a degree of ferocity, fully 
equal to that which is developed in the most savage and 
blood-thirsty of his fellow cats. Unlike the Jaguar, which 
generally contents itself with a single victim, the Puma, 
if he should happen to find himself undisturbed in the 
midst of a flock of sheep, deserted by their guardians 
and left entirely at his mercy, is said never to spare, 
but to destroy every individual that he can reach, for 
the purpose of sucking its blood. He differs also 
from the Jaguar in his habit of frequenting the open 
plain rather than the forest and the river, in and near 
which the latter usually takes his secret and destructive 
stand. Hence he is more exposed to the pursuit of the 
skilful thrower of the lasso, from whom, as his swiftness 
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