298 MB. o. T. APLCf ON THE [Mar. 20, 



I may draw attention to the fact that, so far as purely terrestrial 

 animals are concerned, Uruguay is geographically separated from 

 the Argentine States hy effective natural boundaries — the Rio de 

 la Plata on the south and the Eio Uruguay on the west. The 

 latter river has apparently proved less passable than the muddy 

 Eio Parana. 



Geoffeox^s Cat (Felis geoffroyi). 



The beautiful spotted " Gato del Monte," or " Monte Cat," is 

 now becoming rare in the part of Soriano where I was living. 

 The skins exhibit a little variety, some having the spots larger 

 and more distinct than others. It is kept down as much as 

 possible on sheep-camps by trapping. 



Paja Cat {Felis passer mn). 



The Paja or Grass Cat (" Gato pajero ") is also getting scarce in 

 this district owing to the systematic trapping which is carried on. 

 Two kittens which were brought in (dead, alas \) on the 29th 

 October were spotted on the legs and lower parts, and it was 

 suggested that they might be the result of a cross with the Monte 

 Cat ; but as the skins of two more kittens, bi'ought in with that of 

 the old female a few days before, were just the same, the spotted 

 dress in youth is evidently natural to this species. Exactly the 

 same thing happens in the case of the Puma {vide infra). 



PuiiA {Felis concolor) \ 



The Puma is now extinct in many parts of the country, but 

 in the monte along the Uruguay river it is still found. An 

 estanciero living at Cordova in Argentina tells me he has seen 

 both Pumas and Jaguars coming down the big rivers on ti'ee- 

 trunks. In this way stray examples might verj' well turn up in a 

 district long after the native breed was extinct. I heard that it 

 was still found, although very rarely, in the monte of the Eio 

 Negro on that part of the coast of the river which I visited in the 

 Department of that name ; but all I could hear of it in South 

 Soriano was a report that one had been seen on the Arroyo de 

 Monzon some years ago. We had on board the ship I came home 

 in two Puma cubs, the smaller of which was indistinctly spotted. 

 A German friend living in the South of Patagonia teUs me that 

 very young ones are always so. 



Azaba's Fox {Cards azarce). 



Azara's Fox, the common " Zorro," is still numerous despite 

 systematic trapping, and affords moderate sport to some English- 

 men ; among others to a neighbour of my host, whose pack included 

 two imported foxhounds, a rarity indeed, and has achieved signal 

 success. This fox is quite as bold as the English one in coming 

 about the houses at night. Going out of mj' room one moonlight 

 night I saw a fox bolt out of the patio ! One which was caught 



^ See figures of young Pumas, P. Z. S. 1861, p. 141, pi. xxii. 



