208 CALIFORNIA MAMMALS. 



Felis hippolestes olympus Merriam. (Horse — robber, 

 of the Olympic Mountains.) 



PACIFIC COAST COUGAR. 



Above varying from rufous l)ro\vn to grayish tawny accord- 

 ing to season, locality and probably individually (dimorphism), 

 darkest on the back and tail ; face dusky brown ; a, pale spot over 

 each eye; convex side of ears blackish except the back side, which 

 is gray ; a blackish patch at base of whiskers; lips and chin white; 

 neck dull fulvous, palest below; breast and inside of thighs dirty 

 white; end of tail blackish. Newly horn young; back and legs 

 spotted and tail ringed with dark brown. 



Length about 2135 mm. (84 inches); tail vertebrae 700 

 (28) ; hind foot 250 (10). 



Type locality, Olympic Mountains, Washington. 



The Pacific Coast Cougar ranges over the Pacific coast re- 

 gion from British Columbia tO' northern California. Cougars 

 are not often found in dense forests and seldom in open plains, 

 but prefer hilly localities with some timber and brush for cover. 

 In some few locahties they are sufficiently common to be trouble- 

 some to stock, but in the greater part of the west they are so rare 

 that comparatively few people can say that they have seen a Cou- 

 gar alive at large. I have knocked about in the ^vildest parts of 

 the west much of the last thirty years and I have yet to see a live 

 Cougar outside of a cage. I have seen their tracks in sand or 

 dust a few times in out-of-the-way places and that is all. I once, 

 heard a distant cry that I suppose was made by a Cougar. It was 

 in the night and was a loud wailing ciy thau m the distance had 

 an unpleasant human tone. 



The food of Cougars is flesh exclusively, which they prefer 

 to kill themselves, rarely eating carrion unless forced by hunger. 

 Being strong and powerful they prefer large game, such as deer, 

 colts, hogs, grouse and turkeys. They are not ferocious and kill 

 only for food. Instances of their attacking people have occurred, 

 but these are very rare and they have learned to avoid man. In 

 South America there is a widespread belief among the Indians 



