278 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



of domestication, to a certain degree, and apparently 

 docile, when confined and well supplied with food, it will 

 never fail to evince the sanguinary cruelty of its nature, 

 whenever a less powerful creature falls within its reach. 



It inhabits South America, especially Paraguay, where it 

 is very common ; Buenos Ayres, and the vicinity of Suri- 

 nam, where, however, it is scarce. 



An individual, possessed by M.F. Cuvier, had, notwith- 

 standing its natural ferocity, nevertheless, been tamed to a 

 very considerable degree. It appeared to recognise no per- 

 son in particular, but it was fond of play, and, for that 

 purpose, all comers were alike to it. It seemed to derive 

 pleasure from being stroked down the back with the hand. 

 When invited to play, it would turn over, return with its 

 paws the caresses addressed to it, bite gently the fingers 

 it could seize, but never so as to hurt or wound them. One 

 might almost have imagined that it felt the degree of resist- 

 ance which the skin was capable of making, and propor- 

 tioned the force of its bite accordingly, when it meant only 

 to express its joy. It knew the fingers of a person without 

 seeing them. Nevertheless, this animal preserved its fe- 

 rocity for all those living beings that could become its prey. 

 Even when satiated with food, it testified, in a lively man- 

 ner, the desire of getting possession of such animals. One 

 day, it broke the bars of its cage to attack a Lemur that 

 was within reach, which it mortally wounded. When it 

 could catch a bird, it killed it directly, and laid it by for 

 provision, as was its custom to do with the meat it received, 

 when it had eaten sufficiently. 



The Taira or Galera of Brown's Jamaica, (Mustela 

 Barbara) is about the size of the Common Marten, to 

 which, also, it bears a similarity, in general form. It is 

 this species which is said to have but four cheek-teeth in 

 the upper jaw, on each side. The fur is uniformly black, 

 except that there is a large white patch covering the under 

 part of the throat. 



