456 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



extremely like that given by Azara, in his Travels, parti- 

 cularly as to the make of the animal. 



Our figure of the small Jaguar is also from a drawing of 

 Major Smith taken in America. It was a male, two feet 

 two inches in height. Its general colour was paler and 

 more ashy than the large variety, with five large distinct 

 rows of annulated spots on the sides. It was excessively 

 fierce and untameable. 



The Jaguar is very like the Panther or Leopard of the 

 Old World, but the spots or rings of the former are larger 

 and more oblong, particularly down the back, and those 

 near the dorsal line have a central black dot, which is never 

 seen in the Panther or Leopard ; the head is rounder; the 

 animal altogether stouter and stronger; and the tail never 

 reaches farther than to the ground, which last is, perhaps, 

 the most obvious difference between them. 



On the whole, we are inclined to conclude that no accu- 

 rate description has hitherto been given of the large variety 

 of the Jaguar; or otherwise, that the individuals of this 

 species are so subject to vary, as to render any specific cha- 

 racter inconclusive. 



There is also a black variety * found in the forests on the 

 frontiers of Brazil, which has the same spots and marks as 

 the others, on a ground of a somewhat browner black ; so 

 that they are visible only on close examination, and by 

 viewing the skin when inclining at a certain angle from 

 the direction of the light. This appears to be the Felis 

 Discolor of Gmelin, the Couguar t of Buffbn, and the 

 Black Tiger of Shaw ; although the figure given by Buffon 

 does not correspond with it, inasmuch as the under part is 



* It is extremely difficult to say what is a variety, and what a 

 distinct species. The Black Jaguar is, probably, only a variety ; 

 but as it is not found in the parts where the Common Jaguar 

 abounds, it may be thence presumed, that they are distinct. 



t Major Smith thinks this is distinct. See p. 473. 



