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very strong nails, and its tail is upwards of two feet 

 in length and like that of the tiger. 



The number of toes on the hinder feet would alone 

 be a sufficient characteristic to distinguish it from 

 the real lion, which has but four. The pagi may, 

 however, be considered as an intermediate species 

 between the lion and the tiger. Its cry, although 

 not so loud, differs not materially from the roaring 

 of the African lion, but in the season of its loves be- 

 comes changed into a shrill whistle, or rather a fright- 

 ful hiss like that of a serpent. The female is rather 

 less than the male, and is of a paler colour ; like the 

 African lioness, she has two dugs, and brings forth 

 but two young at a time. The season of copulation 

 is the end of winter, and the period of gestation 

 three months. 



Such is the lion of Chili ; it may, perhaps, in 

 other parts of America, offer some shades of dis- 

 crimination, as I have been informed that those of 

 Peru have a longer and more pointed muzzle. The 

 pagi inhabits the thickest forests and the most inac- 

 cessible mountains, from whence it makes incursions 

 into the plains to attack domestic animals, particu- 

 larly horses, whose flesh it prefers to that of any 

 other. In its mode of seizing its prey it resembles 

 the cat; it approaches it by drawing itself upon its bel- 

 ly, glides softly through the shrubs and bushes, con- 

 ceals itself in the ditches, or, if it shews itself, as- 

 sumes a mild and fawing appearance, and, watching 

 the favourable opportunity of seizing the animal 

 which it has marked for its victim, at one leap fastens 

 itself upon its back, seizes it with its left paw and 



