BROOD-CARE AMONG MAMMALS 



167 



pursuit of their prey, but usually have permanent headquarters 



which they use by day if they are nocturnal, or at night if they 



hunt by day. The lair is in a well-concealed place, capable of 



defence, in the middle of a thick forest-brake, or 



in dense reeds, or in a rocky recess in the side of .^^\ 



a mil, or m a hole, burrow or hoUow tree. In 



captivity, the mothers always retreat to the 



darkest corner of their enclosure to bring forth 



their young, and one of the necessities for 



successful breeding is to provide a 



suitable shelter for this purpose. 



It is often useful to provide two, 



for the mother, even if she be 



not disturbed, is restlesb /<- 



after the cubs are born, ^p^f '" 



and frequently will 



carry them from one 



place to another 



until she finds 



a nook to her ^^ 



liking. It 



is 



tixe 



first 



few dayb ' , 



that the 



young run 



the greatest 



risk of being 



eaten by the 



mother. A 



bed of soft 



^fa- 

 in 



Sir^ 



Fig 30 



"young 



taiird I emur carrying 

 (t/y/t) POCOCK.) 



dry earth, 



of leaves ' 



or litter, .=-,:^' « », i*-^ 



is fre- ' **" 



quently scraped up beforehand. Wlien pumas live in a place 



where there are not natural caves or rocky recesses they make 



a lair of twigs and moss in some dense thicket, with an overarching 



roof of evergreen canes. The early days of all carnivores are 



spent in a nursery of this kind, and the mother takes scrupulous 



