440 class mammalia. 



Many of the actions and manners of the Jaguar and 

 Puma have been confounded by different describers. It 

 may perhaps be observed generally, that the Puma is of the 

 most cruel and sanguinary disposition in a state of nature, 

 though easy to be tamed; but is inferior to the Jaguar in 

 bodily powers, and still more in energy and courage. 



Though this species is found from Patagonia to Cali- 

 fornia, the Baron has not been able to ascertain any here- 

 ditary varieties. Some individuals indeed seem of a deeper 

 colour, and others exhibit indications of spots, the colour in 

 places being more opaque in certain angles of light; but 

 such may be attributable to age, sex, or circumstances, and 

 not probably to actual varieties. 



The Black Tiger of Laborde is erroneously applied, ac- 

 cording to Cuvier, to a Black Couguar, by Button, the 

 existence of which he doubts. 



In arranging the various species of Felinse into groups, the 

 Bengal or Royal Tiger will be found nearly isolated. He is 

 easily distinguished from all other species by his transverse 

 dark stripes. Compared with the Lion, he is thinner and 

 lighter, and has the head rounder. The upper part of the 

 body is yellow, the under part white. The whole internal 

 face of the ears, and a spot on the external surface round 

 and over the eyes, the end of the muzzle, cheeks, throat, 

 neck, chest, belly, and internal sides of the limbs are 

 white ; and the tail is annulated with black on a whitish- 

 yellow ground. The eye-pupils are generally said to be 

 round, and indeed we have never observed it otherwise ; 

 but in the instance already mentioned, witnessed by Major 

 Smith, they assumed an elliptical figure. The black bands 

 are extremely irregular, and vary in different individuals. 

 We shall not describe its person further, but merely refer 

 to our figure of a specimen lately at Exeter'Change. 



Beneficence, however capriciously exercised, may be said 

 occasionally to exhibit itself in the lion ; but the ferocious 



