THE COUGAR. 
23 
THE COUGAR. 
THE COUGAR 
[ This animal has been improperly called Panther or Catamount.'] 
How large is the Cougar ? < 
The Cougar is about as tall as the leopard, but is longer 
and heavier than that animal. His body is about five ( 
feet and a half long, and a little more than two feet and 
a half high ; his tail is half as long as his body. 
What kind of an animal is he ? ( 
He is an animal of the cat kind, and is the largest one ) 
of this kind, which is found in America. 
What is his shape ? ) 
The shape of the Cougar, is like that of the cat, and \ 
the leopard. His body is long and low, his head small, \ 
his tail long, and his teeth and claws sharp and strong. ! 
What is the color of the Cougar ? 
His color is dark reddish grey, deepest on the back, ) 
and lighter along the sides. Under the throat it is l 
nearly white. The ears are nearly black on the out¬ 
side, and yellowish white on the inside. 
Where is he found ? ) 
He is found in the great forests of America. Many 
years since, when the country was covered with wood, i 
this animal lived in all the Southern States, and in those 
of New England also. But as the woods have been cut , 
down, he has retired; and is now only to be found 
among the rocks and mountains of the wilderness. 
Is he a fierce and dangerous animal ? \ 
The Cougar, like all the wild animals of the cat kind, ) 
is very fierce and blood-thirsty. He is sly and cunning 
in his actions, and like the tiger and cat lies hid, or creeps s 
softly along until he can spring upon his prey. Some- ) 
times he climbs up a tree, and waits for some animal to 
come along, when he suddenly drops down and seizes it. ) 
On what food does the Cougar live ? \ 
The Cougar lives entirely on the flesh of animals ] 
which he commonly kills for himself. He makes dread- ; 
ful havoc among sheep whenever he can find them. > 
Like his brethren of the cat kind, he always kills more '■ 
than he can eat, and takes pleasure in destroying every ' 
living creature that he can overcome. He seeks his 
prey during the night, and in the day time lies still, 
either in a tree, or on the ground among the leaves. 
What is the difference between the Cougar and the leopard ? 
The Cougar differs from the leopard, more in color 
than in shape. The Cougar is reddish grey, in color, 
while the leopard is yellow, spotted with black. The 
Cougar is longer than the leopard, and his head is 
smaller. The leopard does not, like the Cougar, climb 
trees, and drop from them on his prey. In fierceness 
and cruelty these animals do not differ, but the Cougar 
is stronger than the leopard. 
ANECDOTE I. 
The substance of the following story is taken from Dr. 
Godman’s Natural History, a book in which many curi¬ 
ous anecdotes are told of animals. 
Several years ago, a man who had a good deal of 
money with him, was travelling through the woods in 
Ohio, where there were only a few houses. When the 
money was paid to him, two or three persons were pres¬ 
ent, who saw it, and looked as though they wished it 
was theirs, and therefore the traveler was afraid, when 
night came on. that they would follow, and 10b him of 
his money. The traveler had a man with him, but nei¬ 
ther of them had any thing to defend themselves with, 
if they should be attacked. They therefore thought best, 
when it should grow dark, to go into the woods away 
from the road, and without making any fire, to lie down 
on the ground, and cover themselves with their blankets. 
By doing so, they thought, that the robbers, if they pur¬ 
sued, would not be able to find them. Having gone into 
the woods after it was dark, they turned their horses 
loose, and lay down to sleep. In the night they were 
awakened by hearing their horses snort, as they some¬ 
times will do, when a stranger comes near and frightens 
them; and in a few minutes they heard them run, as 
though some one was trying to catch them. A short 
time after this, the travelers both heard what they be- 
