PUMA. 
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colts, but will also attack and kill full-grown adults. The same is true for cattle, 
among which calves more generally, and cows rarely, fall victims to the puma’s 
rapacity. Horned cattle are, however, less preferred than sheep, which, next to 
horse-flesh, form its favourite food in pastoral districts. Indeed, so partial are 
pumas to mutton, that one has been known to make use of a calf-pen as a place 
of concealment from which to raid on a sheep-fold, passing through the former 
without offering; to molest its tenants. 
The acme of daring on the part of the South American puma is, however, 
reached in the attacks which it makes upon the jaguar, to which allusion has been 
made when treating of the latter animal; and it appears that in North America the 
puma exhibits an equally marked hostility to the grizzly bear. In these respects 
the puma is undoubtedly entitled to be regarded as one of the boldest and fiercest 
of Carnivores in proportion to its size. 
In regard to its gentleness towards the human race, it appears that so well 
known is this trait to the Guachos of the pampas as to have led them to apply to 
it the title of amigo del cristiano; and it is notorious that in places where 
pumas abound it is perfectly safe for a child to wander alone, and even sleep, 
on the pampas. A traveller on foot on the pampas, who was compelled by 
stress of circumstances to make his nightly resting-place beneath the shelter of a 
rock, related to Mr. Hudson how that on one occasion four pumas, the two parents 
and their young, appeared as he was resting during the early part of a moonlight 
night. “ Not feeling the least alarm at their presence, he did not stir; and after a 
while they began to gambol close to him, concealing themselves from each other 
among the rocks, just as kittens do, and frequently while pursuing one another 
leaping over him. He continued watching them till past midnight, when they had 
left him.” The same traveller also related to Mr. Hudson how he had once, and 
onoe only, killed a puma, adding that nothing would induce him to kill another. 
On the occasion referred to a puma was found, which sat perfectly still with its 
back against a stone, not even moving when lassoed. “ My informant,” writes Mr. 
Hudson, “ then dismounted, and drawing his knife, advanced to kill it; still the 
puma made no attempt to free itself from the lasso, but it seemed to know, he said, 
what was coming, for it began to tremble, the tears ran from its eyes, and it whined 
in the most pitiful manner. He killed it as it sat there unresisting before him; but, 
after accomplishing the deed, felt that he had committed a murder.” If this were 
an isolated case, it would not be of much importance, but scores of instances attest 
that this strange and inexplicable behaviour is characteristic of the South American 
puma, and that it almost invariably resigns itself to death in this unresisting 
manner. Very different is, however, the behaviour 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 flashing 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 belabour 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. Dogs seem, 
indeed, invariably to excite the puma to uncontrollable bursts of passion; and an 
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