JAGUAR. 
n 
Parana. The man who killed one of these assured him that it did not 
differ from the Jaguar (Yagouaret6), except that it was black, marked with 
still blacker spots, like those of the common Jaguar. 
The Jaguar generally goes singly, but is sometimes accompanied by his 
favourite female. The latter brings forth two young at a time, the hair 
of which is rougher and not so beautiful as in the adult. She guides them, 
as soon as they are able to follow, and supplies and protects them, not 
hesitating to encounter any danger in their defence. 
The Jaguar, according to D’Azara, can easily drag away a horse or an 
ox ; and should another be fastened or yoked to the one he kills, the pow- 
erful beast drags both off together, notwithstanding the resistance of the 
terrified living one. He does not conceal the residue of his prey after 
feeding : this may be because of the abundance of animals in his South 
American haunts. He hunts in the stealthy manner of a cat after a rat, 
and his leap upon his prey is a very sudden, quick spring : he does not 
move rapidly when retreating or running. It is said that if he finds a 
party of sleeping travellers at night, he advances into their midst, and first 
kills the dog, if there is one, next the negro, and then the Indian, only 
attacking the Spaniard after he has made this selection ; but generally he 
seizes the dog and the meat, even when the latter is broiling on the fire, 
without injuring the men, unless he is attacked or is remarkably hungry, 
or unless he has been accustomed to eat human flesh, in which case he 
prefers it to every other kind. D’Azara says very coolly, “ Since I have 
been here the Yagouardtds (Jaguars) have eaten six men, two of whom 
were seized by them whilst warming themselves by a fire.” If a small 
party of men or a herd of animals pass within gunshot of a Jaguar, the 
beast attacks the last one of them with a loud roar. 
During the night, and especially in the love season, he frequently roars, 
uttering in a continued manner, pou, pou , pou. 
It is said that when the Spaniards settled the country from Montevideo 
to Santa-Fe de Yera Cruz, so many Jaguars were found that two thousand 
were killed annually, but their numbers have been greatly diminished 
(D’Azara, vol. i. p. 124). We have no positive information as to the 
present average annually killed, but presume it not to exceed one tenth 
the above number. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
This species is known to exist in Texas, and in a few localities is not 
very rare, although it is far from being abundant throughout the state. It 
is found on the head waters of the Rio Grande, and also on the Nueces. 
VOL. III. — 2 
k 
