3 6 
MAMMALIA. 
life by the brutal attacks of these ferocious beasts. Even as cautious 
and reliable a naturalist as Zadock Thompson quotes the following 
appalling and blood-curdling tale as an authentic narrative: “Two 
hunters, accompanied by two dogs, went out in quest of game, near 
the Catskill Mountains. At the foot of a large hill, they agreed to 
go round it in opposite directions, and when either discharged his 
rifle, the other was to hasten toward him to aid him in securing the 
game. Soon after parting, the report of a ride was heard by one of 
them, who, hastening toward the spot, after some search, found noth- 
ing but the dog, dreadfully lacerated and dead. He now became 
much alarmed for the fate of his companion, and, while anxiously 
looking round, was horror-struck by the harsh growl of a Catamount, 
which he perceived on a large limb of a tree, crouching upon the 
body of his friend, and apparently meditating an attack on himself. 
Instantly he levelled his ride 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 wound; 
ed Catamount, which, with one blow of its paw, laid the poor crea- 
ture dead by his side,”* et cetera. The illustrious Audubon, in his 
great work upon the Quadrupeds of North America, cautions the read- 
er not to credit the legends of the vulgar in regard to the ferocity of 
this animal, and its propensity to attack man, and then goes on to 
picture midnight encounters and hair-breadth escapes almost as thrill- 
ing and improbable as the story above quoted. Oh, the inconsist- 
ency of man ! 
It is now so well known that the Panther is one of the most cow- 
ardly of beasts, never attacking man unless wounded and cornered, 
that it is unnecessary to do more than contradict the popular im- 
pression to the contrary. 
2d. Concerning the Method of Capturing its Prey. 
It is commonly and widely believed, and frequently and boldly as- 
* Natural and Civil History of Vermont, 1842, p. 3S. 
