FELINES OF THE NEW WORLD. 



1/9 



with the report, with outstretched pa^\■s 

 ;ep growl, the puma sprang forward, and 

 heavily to the ground, whilst our horses, 

 J wholly unmanageable, reared up and 

 Ited. When we again got control of them, 

 would induce them to return to the spot 



where the now lifeless bod)- of the puma la}-, and 

 we had to dismount and walk there. \'er\' fierce 

 and dangerous it looked ; and at the sight of its 

 ponderous paws with their sharp talons and its 

 cruel white teeth, we wondered whether, it it knew 

 its own powers, the puma would be such a cowardly 



.iiil 



Fig. 83.— The Pampas Cat (Fclis fajems). page 180. 



as it is. They scarcely ever attack man, 

 hen brought to bay, but lie down and 

 y meet their fate, though they can kill 

 rown guanaco with one blow of the paw, 

 11 down a horse with similar ease." — Across 

 lia. 



Ocelot [Fclis pardalis), fig. 82, corres- 

 somewhat in size and behaviour to the 

 ;d Ticjer of the Old World. It attains 

 th of about 3 feet or more, while the 

 ;asures about 18 inches. The ground 

 of his fine soft fur is reddish yellow on 

 :k, and yellowish white beneath. The 

 id neck show dark longitudinal stripes, 

 1 black transverse stripes. The paws 

 otted, and on the sides a few large 

 laped brown spots are visible, and 

 nclose a lio;hter-coloured centre marked 



with a few black spots of minute size, but 

 sometimes they run together so as to form 

 longitudinal stripes. The ocelot inhabits 

 almost the same regions as the puma, but 

 prefers to frequent the great forests, whence 

 it makes excursions into the neighbouring 

 farmyards and villages. Its food appears to 

 consist mainly of birds and rodents. 



What may, perhaps, be said to distinguish 

 it from the other felines is the fact that the 

 male is nearly always accompanied by the 

 female. Its life is in other respects the same 

 as that of the puma. It fears dogs and 

 men, does not attack large animals, and like 

 the puma leads a wandering life. It is said 

 to be less bloodthirsty than the puma, and it 

 is hunted rather for its fine fur than on 

 account of the damage it does. 



