278 
VERTEBRATA. 
in nearly all the wooded regions of New England. One is still sometimes seen in the northern 
wilds of Maine and New Hampshire. The author of these pages recollects that, in his boyhood, 
meeting a "painter" was among the possible adventures of a sportsman in the mountainous western 
border of Connecticut. At present this animal is rare in most parts of the Northern and Middle 
States : it is frequently met with in the Alleghany range, from New York to Georgia. It is fond 
of marshy lands, and is common in the swamps along the Southern rivers, and is especially 
abundant in Texas and Florida. It is found in Oregon and California, but more sparingly. 
Though it appears to be the only large animal of the cat family that lives and thrives in a tem- 
perate climate, the cougar still seems to find its true home in the hot regions of our continent. 
In Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Guiana, and Brazil, it reaches its largest size, and its pre- 
daceous qualities have their fullest development. 
The cougar generally subsists on birds and small quadrupeds, such as young deer, raccoons, 
skunks, and the like : in South America the monkeys and peccaries frequently become its prey. 
In the vicinity of man it often makes sad havoc among the sheep : one has been known to kill 
fifty in a night, and gorge himself with their blood. It also kills great numbei-s of swine. Young 
animals, lambs, pigs, calves, and colts, are its especial favorites. If a cougar finds an unfortunate 
cow, or even a bullock, embarrassed in the oozy mud of a swamp, he will fall upon it and kill it. 
If the animal is too large for a single meal, the greedy brute, having filled himself to repletion, 
retires to a short distance,, and waits and watches till his hunger revives, when he returns and 
finishes his gluttonous repast. 
This animal is nocturnal in its habits, and is said to utter a wailing cry, which travelers repre- 
sent as peculiarly wild, startling, and hideous, when heard in the wilderness, during the still 
watches of the night. It is conjectured, however, that the shrill bark of the fox, and the desolate 
hootings of the owl, are often mistaken for the yell of the cougar. This animal prowls about in 
search of its prey with great perseverance, and slily approaching its intended victim, bounds upon 
it with a sudden and terrible velocity. It is a peculiarly cowardly animal, and appears never to 
attack a man in open day, but sometimes at night it has sprung upon an unwary traveler either 
lagging along the road or encamped in the woods. Like all others of the cat family, it is afraid 
of fire, and the usual defense of woodmen is to keep up a blaze during the night. Even with this 
caution, a party of foresters has often been startled by finding their horses attacked, and sometimes 
cruelly lacerated by the claws and teeth of these blood-thirsty creatures. Innumerable instances 
of this kind have happened to emigrants and settlers in the Western States. 
The cougar climbs trees with great facility ; it often lies in wait for its prey on the limb of a 
tree, and when it comes within reach, descends upon it like a thunderbolt. In mountainous 
countries, its lair is in the clefts of the rocks ; in marshy lands, it makes its rude bed of leaves, 
weeds, and grasses, in the thick, matted coverts of the jungle, the chapparal, or the cane-brake. 
The female cougar is most afi'ectionate and devoted to her young. She only leaves them to pro- 
cure necessary food, and permits them to subsist upon her till she is often reduced to a skeleton. 
When about half grown, they cease to be nursed, and accompany their parents — who usually go 
together — in their hunts. 
It appears that there is an animal in South America which is called the Black Cougar, Felis 
discolor] but wnetiier a distinct species or only a variety of the cougar, is not determined. 
The Ocelot, or Leopard Cat, Felis pardalis, is found in Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico, and as 
far south as Paraguay. The length of the body is three feet, the height one foot six inches. The 
ground-color is gray, marked with fawn-colored patches and spots, edged with black; these are 
irregularly but gracefully disposed in bands, sloping down the sides, and running in fines along 
the head and neck. The under parts are white, spotted with black. The colors are exceedingly 
rich, and the whole eftect indescribably beautiful. Of all the cat family, this is admitted to be 
the handsomest. Its activity and grace of movement are equal to the splendor of its skin. It 
lives in woods and thickets bordering upon streams or lakes, keeping itself concealed during the 
day, and sallying forth on its hunt by night. It climbs trees with agility, where it pursues its 
game, especially birds and monkeys, with great address. It is said to practice a trick on the lat- 
ter animal which shows a good appreciation of monkey character. It will stretch itself out on the 
