1850 .] 
THE ONCA. 
183 
a cow lias died or been killed, long before it becomes 
putrid or emits any strong smell. I have often wrapped 
a piece of half putrid meat in paper and thrown it to 
them, and even then, after hopping up to it, they will 
retire quite satisfied that it is only paper, and nothing at 
all eatable. 
Senhor B. had two fine sows, very fat, and each was 
expected to bring forth a litter of pigs in a few days. 
There were no pig-sties or sheds of any kind ; and all 
animals retire into the forest on such occasions, and in a 
few days return with their young family, just as cats do 
with us. These sows had both disappeared for some 
days, and had not returned, and we began to be afraid 
that a jaguar which had been heard near the house, and 
whose track had been seen, had destroyed them. A 
search was accordingly made, and the remains of a sow 
were discovered in a thicket not far from the house. 
The next night we heard the jaguar roaring within fifty 
yards of us, as we lay in our hammocks in the open 
shed; but there being plenty of cattle, pigs, and dogs 
about, we did not feel much alarmed. Presently we 
heard a report of a gun from an Indian’s cottage near, 
and' made sure the animal was dead. The next morning 
we found that it had passed within sight of the door, but 
the man was so frightened that he had fired at random 
and missed, for there are some Indians who are as much 
cowards in this respect as any one else. Por two or 
three days more we heard reports of the animal at dif- 
ferent parts of the estate, so my hunter went out at 
night to lie in wait for it, and succeeded in killing it 
with a bullet. It was an onga of the largest size, and 
