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COUGAR. 
mal more by choice than necessity, as it can see well during the day time. 
It steals upon its intended prey in the darkness of night, with a silent, 
cautious step, and with great patience makes its noiseless way through 
the tangled thickets of the deepest forest. When the benighted traveller, 
or the wearied hunter may be slumbering in his rudely and hastily con- 
structed bivouac at the foot of a huge tree, amid the lonely forest, his fire 
nearly out, and all around most dismal, dreary, and obscure, he may per- 
chance be roused to a state of terror by the stealthy tread of the prowling 
Cougar ; or his frightened horse, by its snortings and struggles to get loose, 
will awaken him in time to see the glistening eyes of the dangerous beast 
glaring upon him like two burning coals. Lucky is he then, if his cool- 
ness does not desert him, if his trusty rifle does not miss, through his agi- 
tation, or snap for want of better flint ; or well off is he, if he can frighten 
away the savage beast by hurling at him a blazing brand from his nearly 
extinguished camp-fire. For, be sure the animal has not approached him 
without the gnawing hunger — the desire for blood; engendered by long 
fasting and gaunt famine. Some very rare but not well authenticated in- 
stances have been recorded in our public prints, where the Cougar at such 
times has sprang upon the sleeper. At other times the horses are thrown 
into such a fright, that they break all fastenings and fly in every direction. 
The late Mr. Robert Best of Cincinnati, wrote to Dr. Godman, that one of 
these animals had surprised a party of travellers, sprung upon the horses, 
and so lacerated with its claws and teeth their flanks and buttocks, that 
they with the greatest difficulty succeeded in driving the poor creatures 
before them next morning, to a public house some miles off. This party, 
however, had no fire, and were unarmed. 
A planter on the Yazoo river, some years ago, related the following anec- 
dote of the Cougar to us. As he was riding home alone one night, through 
the woods, along what is called a “ bridle-path” (i. e. a horse-track), one 
of these animals sprang at him from a fallen log, but owing to his horse 
making a sudden plunge forward, only struck the rump of the gallant 
steed with one paw, and could not maintain his hold. The gentleman 
was for a moment unable to account for the furious start his horse had 
made, but presently turning his head saw the Cougar behind, and putting 
spurs to his horse, galloped away. On examining the horse, wounds 
were observed on his rump corresponding with the claws of the Cougar’s 
paw, and from their distance apart, the foot must have been spread widely 
when he struck the animal. 
Another respectable gentleman of the State of Mississippi gave us the 
following account. A friend of his, a cotton planter, one evening, while 
at tea, was startled by a tremendous outcry among his dogs, and ran out 
