310 
COUGAR. 
Our own experience in regard to the habits of this species is somewhat 
limited, but we are obliged to state that in the only three instances in 
which we observed it in its native forests, an impression was left on our 
minds that it was the most cowardly of any species of its size belonging 
to this genus. In our boyhood, whilst residing in the northern part of 
New- York, forty-eight years ago, on our way to school through a wood, a 
Cougar crossed the path not ten yards in front of us. We had never 
before seen this specie,s, and it was, even at that early period, exceedingly 
rare in that vicinity. When the Cougar observed us he commenced a 
hui ried retreat ; a small terrier that accompanied ns gave chase to the 
animal, which, after running about a hundred yards, mounted an oak and 
rested on one of its limbs about twenty feet from the ground. We ap- 
proached and raised a loud whoop, when he sprang to the earth and soon 
made his escape. He was, a few days afterwards, hunted by the neigh- 
bours and shot. Another was treed at night, by a party on a raccoon 
hunt ; supposing it to be a raccoon, one of the men climbed the tree, 
when the Cougar leaped to the ground,’ overturning one of (he young 
hunters that happened to be in his wa)', and made his escape. A third 
wans chased by cur-dogs in a valley in the vicinity of the Cat.skill moun- 
tains, and after half an hours chase ascended a beech-tree. He placed 
himself in a crotch, and w'as lired at with duck-shot about a dozen times, 
wdien he was finally killed, and fell heavily to the ground. A Mr. Rax- 
DOLPH, of Virginia, related to us an amusing anecdote of a rencontre 
wdiich he and a Kentuckian had in a valley of one of the Virginia moun- 
tains wnth a Cougar. This occurrence took place about thirty years ago. 
They had no guns, but meeting him near the road, they gave chase wnth 
their horses, and after a run of a few hundred 3mrds he ascended a tree. 
Randolph climbed the tree, and the Cougar sprang dowm, avoiding the 
Kentuckian, wdio stood ready to attack him with his club. The latter 
again followed, on his horse, when he treed him a second time. Randolph 
again climbed after him, but found the animal was coming dowm, and 
disposed to fight his xvay to the ground. He stunned him with a blow^, 
w'hen the Cougar let go his hold, fell to the earth, and was killed by his 
comrade, w^ho wms waiting with his club below. 
From all the conversations we have had wuth hunters who were in the 
habit of killing the Cougar, w^e have been brought to the conviction that 
a man of moderate courage, with a good rifle and a steady arm, accom- 
panied by three or four active dogs, a mixture of either the fox-hound or 
grey-hound, might hunt the Cougar with great safety to himself, and with 
a tolerable prospect of success. 
This animal, which has excited so much terror in the minds of the igno- 
