540 



REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGTST. 



Genus Felis Linnaeus. 

 Felis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, I, p. 41. 

 Dental Formula.— 1, C, Pm, M, |^=30. 



Generic characters. — Body slender; tail long; ears rounded, 

 total number of teeth, 30. 



This genus includes the domestic cat, together with about a 

 dozen species and subspecies of North American cats, and a num- 

 ber of species in the old world. The panthers, jaguars and ocelots 

 are the typical American representatives of the genus. 



FELIS COUGAR Kerr. 

 COUGAR; AMERICAN PANTHER; PUMA; PAINTER. 



Felis couguar Kerr, Animal Kingdom, p. 151, 1792. 



Merriam Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., Vol. 3, p. 582, 1901. 

 Felis concolor, Evermann and Butler, Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. for 



1893, p. 138. 



Diagnostic characters. — Distinguished from other members of 

 the cat tribe in eastern America by its great size, long tail and 

 brownish color. 



Description. — Color, yellowish brown above, darker along mid- 

 dle of back ; under parts yellowish white ; tail blackish at the tip ; 

 feet large ; ears without tufts of long hair ; tail long and rounded, 

 thickly furred and powerful. 



Measurements. — I am not aware that there are any measure- 

 ments in existence for the cougar of the eastern United States nor 

 are there any specimens from which such measurements can be 

 obtained. 



Three males and three females killed by President Roosevelt in 

 Colorado are said to have averaged seven feet two inches, the 

 largest male being eight feet in length. The tail is about three feet; 

 the hind foot ten inches. 



Range. — Cougars formerly inhabited all of the wooded parts 

 of North America. Several species have been named, but their 

 relationships and distribution are not known. The eastern species, 

 cougar, certainly inhabited all of Indiana. 



Our knowledge of the occurrence of the species in this State 

 is limited. It probably became extinct about 1850, although it was 

 very rare long before that time. 



Most of the county histories are silent as to the occurrence 

 of the animals, even when they speak of bear and deer, and there 



