FELIS. 
and when they are impelled by hunger, 
every creature is exposed to their attack. 
They are often taken in pit-falls by the 
negroes, who highly value their flesh, which, 
in appearance, is not a little like that of 
veal; their teeth are arranged in fanciful 
dispositions by the women of the country, 
and hung about their necks and arms, both 
as amulets and ornaments ; and their skins 
are exported to various parts of Europe, 
where they are particularly admired, and 
are sold for corresponding prices. There is 
in India a variety of this species trained 
with great success to hunt the antelope and 
other beasts. It is conveyed in a small 
vehicle to the spot of its intended exertions, 
and chained and hooded till it is let down 
as near to the herd as is thought conve- 
nient; it then makes every effort to reach 
them unobserved, advancing with extreme 
vigilance and caution, and when it perceives 
itself in a proper situation, it rushes with a 
succession of amazing bounds, five or six in 
number, towards its destined object, and is 
almost uniformly successful in securing it. 
On failure it returns to its owner, and after 
a short interval recommences its efforts. 
See Mammalia, Plate XIV, fig. 1. 
F. uncia, or the ounce, is about three feet 
and a half in length, and has a skin beauti- 
fully varied with single spots, or oval collec- 
tions of them, on a light-grey ground-colour. 
It is a native of China, Persia, and Barbary. 
Its sense of smell is not extremely acute, 
but its eye possesses exquisite discernment, 
on which account it is disciplined to the 
chase with wonderful success; and so gentle 
are its manners that it is taken to the hunt 
on the crupper of the horse, behind its 
owner. It is not remarkable for speed in 
running, or at least for a continuance of 
rapid exertion, and is, indeed, incapable of 
it ; but it seizes its prey by a few rapid 
bounds, in which it displays astonishing 
nimbleness and dexterity. It frequently 
ascends trees, from which it may dart on 
any animals leisurely and fearlessly passing 
beneath. 
F. onca, the jaguar, is the most formid- 
able of all the animals found in the new 
continent, and abounds particularly in the 
Deserts of Guiana; in passing which the 
Indians, who have an extreme dread of this 
animal, always kindle fires to keep it at a 
distance. Its ground colour is a light 
brownish-yellow, which is varied with 
streaks and open spots of black. It is 
father larger than a wolf, but is said to find 
a formidable, and often fatal, antagonist in 
the ant-eater, which, on being attacked by 
the jaguar, throws itself on its back, and 
with its long claws fixes on his throat and 
kills him by suffocation. 
F. puma, or the congouar, has by some 
been called the American lion, but is un- 
worthy of a comparison with the sovereign 
of the forest. It is, however, the largest of 
the American beasts of prey, and is ex- 
tremely fierce and ravenous. It inhabits in 
many parts from Canada to Florida, and is 
found also in Mexico and Brazil. In the 
warmer climates it possesses its greatest 
perfection in vigour and courage, and will 
frequently cross rapid torrents to seize cat- 
tle grazing in inclosures near the habitations 
of man. It has been known to attack a 
wolf. It is a formidable enemy to the 
moose-deer, and others of that tribe; and 
will often mount trees to watch the animals 
that pass beneath, selecting the victims of 
its rapacity, and quitting them only after 
having exhausted their last drop of blood. 
This fierce animal, strange as it may appear 
if taken young is trained to become as in- 
offensive nearly as the common cat, and 
will permit, without rage or resentment, all 
the rough caresses and violent gambols 
of boys. 
F. discolor, or the black tiger, is con- 
sidered by many only as a variety of the 
former species. It is exceedingly strong in 
its limbs, and attains the size of a heifer of 
a year old. It is found in Brazil and 
Guiana; and is rapacious and savage in its 
disposition ; and fortunately, therefore, not 
abundant. It eats the buds of the Indian 
fig occasionally, but more frequently the 
eggs of turtles deposited on the shore. 
Lizards, fishes, and young alligators, are all 
made prey by it. It swims with great 
rapidity. In quest of the alligator it em- 
ploys the stratagem of lying down on its 
belly at the edge of the water, and striking 
it with its paws ; the noise and motion in- 
duce the alligator to lift its head above the 
surface, when the claw of the black tiger 
is instantly fixed in its eye and drags it to 
the land. 
F. pardalis, or ocelot, is about four times 
the size of a domestic cat, the shape of 
which it extremely resembles, and is one of 
the most beautiful of all variegated quad- 
rupeds. It is a native of South America, 
and particularly destructive, which may be, 
in a great degree, accounted for from the 
circumstance of its seldom devouring the 
flesh of animals, rather thirsting, with in- 
satjable avidity, for their blood. In the 
