i 



ACCOUNT OF A NEW SPECIES OE FELIS. 173 



they are of the same colour as the adjacent parts. 

 The tail of the Puma is claviform, or appears thick- 

 est towards the tip, which is black ; but the tail of 

 the Spotless Cat is nearly of one thickness through- 

 out ; and it wants the conspicuous black tip, which 

 appears constantly in the Puma. The general co- 

 lour of the two animals is also different. This new 

 species is of a clear but deep reddish-brown : the 

 colour of the Puma is of a fulvous hue ; and when 

 about the size of the animal in question, the young 

 Puma is marked on the body with many black spots, 

 which disappear as the animal advances to maturity. 

 Even in its earliest stage, the tip of the tail in the 

 Puma is black. The eyes of this new species, which 

 are large, are said to have a pale yellowish iris. The 

 beard is slender and scanty ; the teeth sharp and 

 long. 



What I have been able to collect of the habits of 

 this animal, is, that it is an inhabitant of the deep 

 recesses of the forests, that it climbs trees to prey up- 

 on birds, monkeys, &c. but that it will boldy attack 

 the larger quadrupeds. 



Liverpool, March 1819. 



/ 



