■A '^V CANGUAR. ' 321 
by the rigour of the climate ; the smallest cur, in 
company with its master, makes them seek for 
security, by running up trees ; but they are equally 
destructive to domestic animals, and are the 
greatest plague the planter has. When they lie 
in wait for the moose or other deer, they lie close 
on the branch of some tree, till the animal passes 
underneath, then they drop on it, and soon destroy 
it. They also make the wolf their prey. They 
conceal such part of their prey as they cannot eat : 
they pur like a cat, and have soft fur of some value 
among the Indians, who cover themselves with it 
during the winter ; their flesh is also eaten, and 
said to be as good and as white as veal. 
Can GUAR, or black tiger. 
This name having been applied to different 
species, is apt to create some degree of confusion 
of ideas ; it is the name given by the natives of 
South America to most of those ravenous animals 
that arc to them objects of terror. This species 
grows to the size of a heifer of a year old, and has 
vast strength in its limbs. It inhabits Brasil and 
Guiana. It is cruel and fierce ; much dreaded 
by the natives ; but happily it is a scarce species. 
Its head, back, sides, fore part of the legs, and its 
tail, are covered with short and glossy hair of a 
dusky colour ; sometimes spotted with black, but 
generally plain ; its upper lip is white ; it has a 
black spot at each corner of its -mouth, long hairs 
above each eye, and long whiskers on the upper 
lip * its lower lip, its throat, belly, and the inside 
of its legs, are whitish, or of a very pale ash- 
colour ; its paws are white, and its ears pointed, 
VOL. I* T t 
