1807.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
24:7 
The Puma. — [Felis Concolor.) 
The Jaguar of South America is the largest of 
the Leopard family of cats, being also the most 
beautiful in its marking. The Puma approaches 
it in size, and is also closely affiliated to it. The 
geographical range 
of this animal is 
very great, proba- 
bly greater than 
that of an}' other 
cat in a wild state, 
being from Canada 
to Patagonia. It re- 
joices in more titles 
than is quite fair in 
this hemisphere of 
republican ideas, 
and it is hard to say 
which is the most 
correct common 
name. Kb less than 
three Latin generic 
names have been 
given to it, Fells, 
Leopardus and Pu- 
ma, but Linnaeus' 
name, F. concolor, 
is now accepted by 
the best authorities. 
We know the ani- 
mal in books and " 
newspapers as Pu- 
ma, Cougar and American Lion ; in common 
conversation as Catamount, Panther and Paint- 
er. It is not very uncommon throughout the 
still wild parts of the United States, and is a 
destructive pest to the flocks and herds of the 
South American plains. The creature has a 
lion-like face, but the head is small, and it is 
totally lacking in courage. In craft, however, it 
is great ; and there are repeated records of men 
and boys having fallen victims to its covert at- 
tacks. Its usual 
mode of taking its 
prey,in wooded dis- 
tricts, is, to conceal 
itself among the 
branches of a tree 
overhanging deer 
paths and springs, 
and drop or jump 
upon its victims. 
The form of the 
panther is admira- 
bly shown in the 
above spiriled en- 
graving from one of 
Wier's drawings. 
Its color is tawny 
or brownish-yellow 
on the back, and 
ashy-white beneath. 
Its weight some- 
times reaches 130 
pounds ; it is 4 to 
4i feet in length, 
exclusive of the 
tail, which is over 
2 feet, and tipped 
with black, but not 
tufted. A subscriber 
in Claremout, N. 
redations are extended to farm yards, where 
it slaughters many more than its needs re- 
quire. The men of any region thus visited 
promptly turn out for a " Painter hunt." The 
hunters should go in couples, for, though easily 
killed if noticed, unseen a panther is dangerous. 
PUMA.— (Felis Coneolo,;) 
lizards and Tritons. 
People generally make no very accurate dis- 
tinction between the Newts, Salamanders, and 
Tritons, and those animals of a finer organiza- 
tion properly called Lizards or Saurians. In 
the accompanying engraving are represented 
three quite similarly formed, yet very different 
animals. The upper one is the Pene Lizard or 
Brown Swift, (Tropidolepsis xmdulatus), a liz- 
'. %"mi 
TIGER TRITON. 
TDvE LIZARD. 
H., sent us recently a photograph of a large 
Cougar takcu near there last winter. A Cougar 
is not long in making its presence known in 
any district. Calves and young cattle in woody 
pastures aro usually its first victims, but its dep- 
ard of the Iguana family. It resides iu pine 
woods, dwelling chiefly in the trees, yet fre- 
quently found upon the ground. It is about 7 
or 8 inches long, covered with pointed scales, 
gray upon the back aud sides, marked above 
with undulating dark bands; below on each side 
is a band of green, surrounded with black. This 
little animal lives altogether upon insects, and 
in order to take them, has to . be exceedingly 
agile in its motions, not being provided with, 
a long glutinous tongue. It is not uncom- 
mon throughout the 
greater part of the 
"United States. The 
middle figure is of 
the Blite- TAILED 
Skene, (Scincusfas- 
ciatus), the common 
representative in 
the Northern States 
of the Skink fam- 
ily, which may be 
regarded as one of 
thecormectinglinks 
between the Lizard3 
and Snakes, for the 
closely allied fam- 
ily of the Glass 
Snakes have still 
more snake-like 
bodies, and either 
no external legs and 
feet, or very small 
and almost useless 
ones. The Skinks 
have cylindrical 
bodies, with smooth, 
scales. They have 
snaky heads, covered with thin angular plates, 
and flat, notched tongues, and there is little dif- 
ference in size between the neck and the body, 
at the abdomen. From this point there is a. 
gradual taper to the tip of the tail. They are 
well toothed, but not venomous, though they 
bite severely. The Bed-headed Skink of the 
Southern States passes popularly under the 
name of Scorpion. It closely resembles this 
one, but is considerably larger. The length 
of the Blue-tailed 
Skink is about 8 
inches ; its head is 
bluish - black, its 
body striped with 
six straw-colored 
lines, and the tail is 
of a beautiful ultra- 
marine blue. The 
throat and belly are 
white. These are 
also insect caters, 
hence, our friends. 
The spotted crea- 
ture in the fore- 
ground of this 
group is the Ti- 
ger Triton, (Tri- 
ton, ti'grinj/s), and 
may represent the 
numerous class of 
tailed batrachians. 
It is not properly 
a lizard at all, but 
much more nearly 
related to the frogs 
and toads. Its eggs 
are laid in the wa- 
ter, and the young 
pass through a state 
of existence similar to the tadpole condition. It 
is about 6'|» inches long, bluish-black above, 
marked with brilliant lemon-colored blotches of 
irregular outlines; below it is ashy with paler 
blotches. It is found iu New England aud the 
BLtT-TAILED SKENE. 
