26 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
after starting, the clogs aroused the animal, and after a 
chase of a few miles, along the mountains, among rocks 
and almost impenetrable laurels, it took to a beach tree, 
and clambered to the top, about thirty feet from the ground, 
where it crouched, and watched the dogs, which were in 
numbers barking at the foot of the tree. Among the party 
was a stranger, who had never experienced a hunt of the 
kind, and regardless of the penalty to which he would sub- 
ject himself, resolved at all hazards to shoot the Cougar, 
if an opportunity offered, and enjoy the satisfaction of hav- 
ing destroyed one of the most ferocious wild animals of our 
forests. Accordingly he hastened to the scene of action, 
when he saw the animal resting on the tree, and immedi- 
ately fired at its heart, — but to his astonishment, instead of 
killing, he only aroused its vengeance; for the moment he 
discharged his rifle, the Cougar began to growl and spit, and 
rip and tear every limb of the tree within its reach, and 
when on the point of leaping at the hunter, a shot from an 
unknown rifle, hurled the animal to the ground dead, 
within ten or twelve feet of the person who first fired, and 
who being so excessively frightened, and overcome with 
tremour, that he sunk helpless on the ground; and but for 
the fortunate intervention of his friend, would have been 
torn in pieces. Being on a rocky precipice, and the place 
so overgrown with high laurels, he did not see two of the 
hunters who had arrived a few moments before him; nei- 
ther were they aware, that any of the party were present 
but themselves, until they heard the report of the rifle 
within a few yards of them, and being experienced hunters, 
they knew by its actions, that the animal was aiming the 
destruction of their friend, and the timely interference and 
unerring aim of Captain W , only saved his life. 
The following anecdote, which is copied from Godman’s 
Natural History, was furnished by the late William Scud- 
der, who had the Cougar, and which is still in the New- 
York Museum. 
“Two hunters, accompanied by two dogs, went out in 
quest of game near the Kaatskill Mountains. At the foot 
of a large hill, they agreed to go round it in opposite direc- 
tions, and when either discharged his rifle, the other was 
to hasten towards him, to aid in securing the game. Soon 
after parting, the report of a rifle was heard by one of them, 
who, hastening towards the spot, after some search, found 
nothing but the dog, dreadfully lacerated, and dead. He 
now became much alarmed for the fate of his companion, 
and while anxiously looking around, was horror-struck by 
the harsh growl of a Cougar, which he perceived on a 
large limb of a tree, crouching on the body of his friend, 
and apparently meditating an attack on himself. Instantly 
he levelled his rifle at the beast, and was so fortunate as to 
wound it mortally, when it fell to the ground along with 
the body of his slaughtered companion. His dog then 
rushed upon the wounded Cougar, which, with one blow of 
its paw, laid the poor creature dead by its side. The sur- 
viving hunter now left the spot, and quickly returned with 
several other persons, when they found the lifeless Cou- 
gar extended near the dead bodies of the hunter and the 
faithful dogs.” 
The Cougar is exceedingly tenacious of its food, and 
rather than relinquish it, will suffer death. Instances of 
this kind sometimes occur, which the following anecdote 
from the same author will show. 
“ About five miles from Phillipsburgh, Centre county, 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Mitchell, on the 8th of December, 1825 , 
shot at a buck, (cervus Virginianus,) and wounded him in 
the shoulder. He followed the animal for some time, and 
at length perceived him at the distance of about forty yards, 
lying with his heels upwards, and a Cougar holding him 
by the throat. The hunter discharged his rifle at the Cou- 
gar, and shot it through the heart; when this animal relin- 
quished the buck, advanced four or five yards, and fell life- 
less. Having again charged his rifle, and believing the 
Panther to be dead, Mr. Mitchell, turning towards the 
wounded buck, was surprised to see another Cougar in the 
act of pulling down the head; and, as it now appeared, the 
buck had been held down by both Cougars at the moment 
the first was killed. The body of the buck was between 
the hunter and the second Cougar, nothing but the head of 
which was visible. At this Mr. Mitchell levelled his rifle, 
and the ball entered it at the angle of the eye. The beast 
remained still for a few minutes, and then, for the first time, 
relinquished his hold of the buck, and walked over it to- 
wards the hunter, who fired his rifle a second time, and 
shot him through in the neighbourhood of the he^rt. At 
this moment the buck recovered his legs, stumbled over 
the body of the Cougar, finally extricated himself, and ran 
off. A third discharge of the rifle, pierced the Cougar with 
another ball, yet he still remained on his feet, and it was 
not until the rifle was again discharged, and a fourth ball 
driven through the back part of the under jaw, that the 
animal fell and expired. What is most singular is, that the 
male should not have relinquished his hold of the buck 
when the female was killed, but continued in the same po- 
sition until the ball entered his own head, near the eye. 
The buck ran near a mile before he was finally overtaken, 
and killed.” 
The Cougar usually seizes its prey, by springing from 
trees, while the unsuspecting animals which compose its 
food, are passing by. The places of watchfulness are gene- 
rally on old logs, fallen trees, and large limbs of trees pro- 
jecting over or near deer-paths, and watering places. It 
frequents salt licks, during the night season, where it often 
