COUSINS OF CATS 237 



the Deer, one chasing it in a circle while the other lay 

 hidden in the runway to pull it down as it passed ? " 



" Yes, yes, we all do ! " chorused the children. 



" The Puma hunts singly more than in couples, so 

 instead of driving the Deer or Elk (it never tries a fully 

 grown jMoose) it notes the runway and waits for the Deer 

 to pass the spot where it is crouching. A successful 

 spring will land the Puma on the haunches of his vic- 

 tim, where he fastens his claws until he can give the 

 killing throat bite. But oftentimes the Deer starts 

 quickly and the Puma is ' too late,' and the Elk escapes, 

 like those in the picture. 



" In snow time alone, the Puma seems to hunt by 

 chasing as well as by the stalk and leap. He can 

 spread his broad paws so as to make snow-shoes of them, 

 keeping on the surface while the small, sharp hoofs of 

 the Deer cause them to sink. In this again he hunts 

 like some sportsmen, who take a mean advantage of the 

 heavy ^loose and Elk ploughing wearily through deep 

 snow, to follow them on snow-shoes without having the 

 Puma's rightful excuse of hunger." 



The children laid the Ocelot, Wildcat, and Puma 

 skins on the floor, comparing and talking about them, 

 while Olive went for the crackers to toast. 



Finally Dodo folded her arms, looked up with a sigh, 

 and said solemnly, "Even if Pumas do not eat people, 

 I'm very much relieved to know that they have re- 

 treated a long way inland," being perfectly unconscious 

 that she was imitating Dr. Roy's speech and deliberate 

 manner, and not understanding why he laughed so 

 heartily that his "near to" eye-glasses bounced into 

 the fire. 



