274 
VERTEBRATA. 
powerful appearance. This animal is larger and stouter in his structure than the leopard and 
panther, and is about three fourths the size of the tiger. It has much of the fierceness and daring 
of the latter animal, and is hence often called the American Tiger. There is a variety, which 
appears to be quite rare, in which the ground-color is nearly black, the spots, however, being 
dimly visible ; this is called the Black Tiger. 
The jaguar is found in Texas and Mexico, and thence southward to the Argentine Republic. 
It is most common, and appears to attain its greatest size and ferocity, in the tropical countries. 
In the deep impenetrable swamps and thickets which abound in those regions, amid thorny 
shrubs and tangled vines, these animals abound, feeding on the monkeys, peccaries, and other 
quadrupeds that come within their reach. Many of them emerge from their haunts, especially 
at night, and make prey of deer, horses, and cattle. The colts and calves are their favorite prey, 
but they sometimes kill and drag off horses and full-grown cattle. A jaguar has been known to 
kill an ox yoked to another, and, carrying off the dead one, has compelled his companion to fol- 
low. Frequently two jaguars will combine to master the larger and more powerful brutes. 
Some of them lie in wait around the salt-licks and attack the animals that resort to these places. 
Their habit is to conceal themselves behind some bush, or on the trunk of a fallen tree ; here 
they will lie, silent and motionless, for hours, patiently Avaiting for their victims. When they see 
a deer, or a mule, or mustang approaching, the eyes dilate, the hair rises along the back, the tail 
moves to and fro, and every limb quivers. When the unsuspecting prey comes within his reach, the 
monster bounds like a thunderbolt upon him. He fixes his teeth in his neck and his claws in the 
loins, and though the dismayed and aggravated victim flies, and rears, and essays to throw ofi" his 
terrible rider, it is all in vain. His strength is soon exhausted, and he sinks to the earth an easy 
prey to his destroyer. The jaguar, growling and roaring in triumph, already tears his flesh while 
yet the agonies of death are upon him. When his hunger is appeased he covers the remains of 
the carcass with leaves, sticks, and earth, to protect them from the vultures ; and either remains 
watching near at hand or retires for a time till appetite revives, when he returns to complete his 
carnival. An instance is related in which a jaguar was found, by a party of rangers, watching 
the carcass of a horse which he had killed and partially devoured, eight or ten famished wolves 
being around, yet not daring to take part in the feast. The rangers approached, and when the 
jaguar fled, they followed in pursuit. The wolves set up a cry like hounds, and joined in the 
chase. The jaguar was soon shot, and the wolves went back and devoured the remains of the 
horse. 
The jaguar is peculiarly sly and stealthy in approaching his prey. He has also the habit of fol- 
lowing for a long time the object of his desire. He does not often openly attack a man ; and, 
indeed, he generally slinks away from him if boldly confronted. He will, however, frequently 
follow a traveler, keeping at a distance and out of sight, till an opportunity off'ers for springing 
upon him from behind. In South America, the instances in which these ferocious creatures have 
carried off" children, and even men and women, are by no means rare. 
When Mr. Waterton was encamped on the banks of the Essequibo, he was visited by one of 
these prowlers. In his " Wanderings," he says : " Whenever the fire got low the jaguar came a little 
nearer, and when the Indian renewed it, he retired abruptly ; sometimes he would come within 
twenty yards, and then we had a view of him, sitting on his hind-legs like a dog ; sometimes he 
moved slowly to and fro ; and at other times we could hear him mend his pace, as if impatient. 
At last the Indian, not relishing the idea of having such company, set up a most tremendous yell. 
The jaguar bounded off like a race-horse, and returned no more. It appeared by the print of his 
feet next morning that he was a full-grown one." 
The jaguar generally roams about alone, but sometimes he is seen in company with the female. 
The latter produces two at a birth. These are rough and woolly in appearance, till they are 
nearly full grown. The mother takes them abroad with her when they are of some size ; like 
the rest of her family, she is devoted to her offspring, and will face any danger in their defense. 
The jaguar is a most expert climber. Sonnini tells us that he saw the scratches left by the 
claws of one on the smooth bark of a tree, some forty feet high, without branches. He traced the 
:marks of several slips made by the climber, but the animal had at last reached the top. Hum- 
