THE OCELOT. 
75 
trodden forests of South America, where it 
carefully conceals itself during the day, 
sallying forth at night to prey upon birds, 
small quadrupeds and monkeys, which last 
it is said to entrap by an ingenious artifice. 
When it has a mind to dine off a monkey, 
it seeks a convenient limb, where, closing its 
eyes and stretching out its legs, it pretends 
to be dead. The monkeys, perceiving it, 
and unable to repress their curiosity, or 
perhaps moved by an ungenerous desire to 
triumph over a fallen enemy, approach in 
numbers; and, while they are prying and 
chattering about the supposed dead body, 
it suddenly starts to life, and some of the 
party are sure to pay dearly for their amuse¬ 
ment. 
“ The ocelot has several times been 
tamed, both in this country and in England. 
I have read a very interesting description 
of one which was for a long time in the 
possession of Dr. Traill, of Edinburgh, and 
which became very tame and docile. She 
was very playful, loved to be tended and 
carried about like a cat, and was much at¬ 
tached to those who fed and played with 
her. Though very powerful, she never 
