70 
CARNIVORA. 
The jaguar is very like the panther or leopard of 
the old world (presuming the two last-mentioned 
names to refer to the same species), but the spots or 
rings of the jaguar are larger and more oblong, par- 
ticularly down the back; the head is rounder; the 
animal altogether stouter and stronger; and the tail 
never reaches farther than to the ground ; which 
last is, perhaps, the most obvious difference between 
them. 
Their young are born blind ; those of the panther 
or leopard have their eyes open from the first. 
On the whole, it must be concluded, that no ac- . 
curate description has hitherto been given of the 
large variety of the jaguar ; or otherwise, that the 
individuals of this species are so subject to vary, as 
to render any specific character inconclusive. 
There is also a black variety * found in the forests 
on the frontiers of Brazil, which has the same spots 
and marks as the others, on a ground of a somewhat 
lighter black ; so that they are visible only on close 
examination, and by viewing the skin when inclining 
at a certain angle from the direction of the light. 
This appears to be the felis discolor of Gmelin, the 
couguar noir of Buffon, and the black tiger of Shaw ; 
although the figure given by Buffon does not corre- 
spond with it, inasmuch as the under part is white. 
/ 
* It is extremely difficult to say .what is a variety, and what a 
distinct species. The black jaguar is probably only a variety; but 
as it is not found in the parts where the common jaguar abounds, it 
may be thence presumed, that they are distinct. 
