120 
THE STORY OF THE MOUNTAIN LION. 
mounted, and drawing my knife, advanced to kill it ; still the puma made no 
attempt to free itself from the lasso, but it seemed to know what was coming, 
for it began to tremble, the tears ran from its eyes, and it whined in the most 
pitiful manner. I killed it as it sat there unresisting before me; but, after 
accomplishing the deed, felt that I had committed a murder. If this were an 
isolated case, it would hot be of much importance, but scores of instances attest 
that this strange and inexplicable behavior is characteristic of the South Ameri¬ 
can puma, and that it almost invariably resigns itself to death in this unresist¬ 
ing manner. Very different is, however, the behavior of the puma when 
attacked by a hunter accompanied by dogs. At such times, the animal is 
roused to- the fiercest paroxysms of rage; and with hair erect and eyes flash¬ 
ing like balls of lurid fire, it rushes spitting and snarling on the dogs, utterly 
regardless of the presence of the hunter. So thoroughly indeed is the hunter 
ignored on such occasions, that he may actually belabor the puma on the head 
with a cudgel without drawing its attack upon himself; the animal receiving 
such blows without retaliation, and calmly waiting its opportunity of making 
a rush upon the dogs. 
Strange as it may at first sight appear, the pumas of the Adirondacks were 
wont to prey largely upon the porcupines which are found in abundance in 
that wilderness, and individuals were frequently killed with their mouths and 
lips, and sometimes other portions of their bodies, absolutely bristling with 
the quills of porcupines. Whether, however, these animals were selected as 
an article of food from choice, or whether the pumas were driven to- devour 
them from inability to capture other prey, is uncertain. Be this as it may, 
porcupines are creatures which, from their sluggish habits and contempt of 
ordinary foes, may be easily captured, and would be sure to come in the way of 
the puma during its nocturnal wanderings. The North American puma will 
eat dmost anything, from deer down to rats, mice, fish and even snails. 
