JAGUAR— PUMA 



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JAGUAR (Felis onca). 



This cat may be regarded as the American representative of the 

 leopard, which it fully equals, even if it does not exceed, in size. The 

 colour and markings are generally similar to those of the latter, but 

 the dark rings are larger and arranged more definitely in groups, each 

 ring usually enclosing one or more dark central spots, and the enclosed 

 light area being of the same tint as the general ground-colour of the 

 fur, which is typically of a rich tan. Usually seven or eight more or 

 less distinct longitudinal rows of rosettes may be noticed on each side 

 of the body. 

 Distribution. — America, from Louisiana, Texas, and Northern Mexico 



to about the Rio Negro, on the northern confines of Patagonia in 



lat. 40° S. 



PUMA (Felis concolor). 



With the exception of the much smaller and longer-tailed 

 yaguarondi, the puma (pronounced pooma) is the only uniformly 

 coloured cat found in America, where its range extends from British 

 Columbia and Maine in the north to the Strait of Magellan in the 

 south. The size is inferior to that of the jaguar, the height at the 

 shoulder being about 2 feet, and the weight 150 lbs. The general 

 colour of the fur is tawny, tending, like that of the Virginian deer, to 

 reddish in summer, and to grayish in winter, with the middle of the 

 back darker, and a whitish patch on the back of the otherwise black ears. 

 But with such an enormous geographical range, it is inevitable there 

 should be much local variation ; and American writers recognise more 

 than one species. F. concolor oregonensis, of the north-west coast, may 

 be admitted as a local race, as may F. concolor puma of South America. 



