THE TIGER-CAT. 



131 



with him, and there are few horses he cannot 

 master, if he gets a jump on their back from 

 the branch of a tree ; but, in general, the 

 Central American puma is a larger and more 

 savage breed than I have seen in Chili or 

 other American countries. 



There is a great variety of smaller tiger- 

 cats that do much mischief to the poultry and 

 tame birds belonging to the inhabitants of the 

 woods ; small when compared to the panther, 

 they are large and dangerous compared with 

 the cat, and also are great enemies to deer, 

 both young and old. 



A very large tiger-cat had a haunt near 

 the rancho of a red friend, and vain were the 

 endeavours to kill him. He had been con- 

 stantly seen, tracked, hunted, and laid watch 

 for, but all to no purpose ; at last we resolved 

 to build a trap for him, which was done in 

 the following manner : — strong sticks were 

 driven into the ground, so as to form an ob- 

 long quadrangle of about six feet by three, 

 the sticks being placed rather close together 

 and a roof made of the same. One of the small 

 ends was left open, with a door suspended 

 over the entry in such a way that, upon any 

 animal seizing the bait, which was a live 

 cock, the door would fall, and, closing the 



