78 
CARNIVORA. 
vigorous bound, in the first instance than by abso- 
lute climbing. 
Major Smith witnessed an extraordinary instance 
of the abstracted ferocity of this animal, when en- 
gaged with its food. A puma, which had been taken, 
and was confined, was ordered to be shot, which was 
done immediately after the animal had received its 
food : the first ball went through his body without 
killing him, and the only notice he took of it was by 
a shrill growl, doubling his efforts to devour his food, 
which he actually swallowed with quantities of his 
own blood. 
Notwithstanding such instances of the violence of 
disposition of this animal, it is very easy to be tamed. 
The same gentleman saw another individual that was 
led about with a chain, carried in a waggon, lying 
under the seat upon which his keeper sat, and fed 
by flinging a piece of meat into a tree, when his 
chain was coiled round his neck, and he was desired 
to fetch it down ; an act which he performed in two 
or three bounds, with surprising ease and docility, 
A tame puma, which died recently, was some time 
in the possession of Mr. Kean, the actor, which was 
quite docile and gentle. After the death of this 
animal, it was discovered that a musket-ball, in all 
probability, had injured its skull, which was not 
known in its lifetime. 
Many of the actions and manners of the jaguar 
and puma have been confounded by different de- 
scribers : and if Azara be correct in his account, 
which seems most probable, it must follow, that 
