AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
25 
THE COUGAR. 
FELIS CONCOLOR. 
[Plate III. Vol. 2.] 
Fells Concolor et discolor; L. Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 79. 
sp. 9 — 12. — Temminck, Monog de Mam. livrais iv. 
p. 134 . — Fells Concolor , Linna:us — Godman, p. 291, 
vol. x. — Le Cougar, Buff. Quad. vol. ix. tab. 59; Cou- 
gar de Pennsylvanie et Cougar Noir; Buff. Supp. 
hi. p. 41, 42. — Pouma; Garcilasso, liv. vm. chap. 
xviii. — Gouzara, De Azzara, Quad, du Paraguay, 
vol. i. p. 133. — Puma; Pennant, Art. Zool. vol. i. p. 
49. — Menagerie of Living Animals, exhibited in 
Philadelphia, winter of 1831-2. 
The interesting animal, from which our drawing is 
made, (and which we consider a perfect representation of 
the original,) is well known to the public as belonging to 
the celebrated menagerie of wild animals, now exhibiting 
in the city of Philadelphia. This Cougar was taken on Red 
River, near Natchitoches, in the state of Louisiana, by a 
hunting party, after a hard battle, in which he destroyed 
several dogs, and was at last secured by means of long 
poles, and taken to New-Orleans, where he was purchased, 
and added to this menagerie. He is an uncommon fine 
specimen of the species, and will measure eight and a half 
feet from the nose to the tip of the tail, and was supposed 
to be five years old when taken; but no treatment, either 
kind or severe, has subdued his disposition sufficient to 
permit him to be handled with safety. 
The Cougar, (erroneously called Panther, or Painter ,) 
is a common inhabitant of the United States, and is found 
on the continent of North America, from Canada to Pata- 
gonia, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. In South 
America, it is called the “American Lion;” but by many 
foreign naturalists and travellers, the Puma. This animal 
is the largest of the cat kind in North America, and with 
the exception of the Grisly and Polar Bears, the most 
fei'ocious and powerful. The severity of the northern cli- 
mate, however, has much influence on their ferocity and 
rage, and are considered, in these particulars, as inferior to 
those found south of the equator. 
The Cougars are particularly fond of mountainous dis- 
tricts, and in the wild and unsettled parts of Pennsylvania, 
and other states, are frequently met with, but are much more 
rare than in former years; for, as population is increasing, 
they are either killed by settlers, or driven to more distant 
and secluded places, — and being an enemy alike to man and 
beast, they become objects of persecution, wherever they 
are found. 
In South America, these animals, which are in numbers 
on the Pampas and the Great Cordillera, afford fine sport 
to the Indians and Gauchos, or natives of the plains, who 
hunt them altogether for diversion, as we have no evi- 
dence that their skins are valuable, or that the flesh is 
eaten by the natives. The manner of hunting them is ge- 
nerally on horseback, accompanied by dogs, and armed 
with lassos, and destructive weapons called string-balls — 
(these being hard wooden balls, secured to the end of ropes, 
or pieces of hides) — thus, when a Cougar is aroused and 
attacked by the dogs, and the issue of the battle doubtful, 
the Gaucho generally puts an end to the strife, by striking 
the animal over the head with one of these string-balls, the 
momentum gained by whirling this instrument a few times, 
being so powerful as to deprive the animal instantly of life; 
or should the dogs refuse to make an attack, and have a 
Cougar at bay, the Gaucho rides sufficiently near as to 
hurl the lasso over its head, and then by gallopping off, 
drags the enemy on the ground, while the dogs follow, and 
tear it to pieces. 
In the United States, the destruction of this animal is 
usually effected with the rifle. Our hunters, by reason of 
great perfection in shooting this instrument of death, and 
their familiarity with the Cougars, regard these animals in 
no other light than certain victims to their unerring aim; 
few indeed escape, when once the keen eye of the hunter 
ranges the barrel of his rifle, or the new fallen snow betrays 
the footsteps of these wily destroyers. 
There is scarcely a brute animal on earth, but will flee 
the face of man. Whether it is the dignity of his form, or 
the fear implanted in all the brute creation by the Author 
of their being, which causes them to acknowledge men “ as 
the lords of creation,” — certain it is, that among even the 
most ferocious animals, very few can be found which will 
venture to attack a man; and when this is done, hunger or 
desperation is the exciting cause. The Cougar, when hun- 
gry, and no longer able to obtain the ordinary supplies of 
food, or wounded by its adversary, will attack alike both 
man and beast, fearless of all consequences. Its ferocity is 
easily excited, and when a painful wound is inflicted, its 
rage is terrible, and will evince the utmost determination 
to revenge itself. Many anecdotes may be told, illustrative 
of this disposition; one or two, however, will suffice. A 
party of hunters, residents of Delaware county, in the state 
of New-York, made an excursion after a Cougar, which had 
frequently been seen prowling about the neighbourhood. 
Before starting, the preliminary agreed on was, that if the 
Cougar should be started, and treed, it was not to be shot 
until each individual composing the party should be pre- 
sent — this agreement broken, a penalty of all the expenses 
of the day, was to be imposed on the offender. Shortly 
G 
