called a panther, or colloquially a "painter", and sometimes a cougar.
It resembles the lioness somewhat in appearance, especially about the
head, though it is smaller and less powerful. Its length varies from
four feet to four feet and a half, and its colour is that of the fox,
graduating in parts to white. Like the lion it inhabits plains rather
than forests;--in the marshy districts, and on the borders of rivers in
the south, and in the swamps and prairies of the northern districts. It
lives on such wild and domestic animals as come within its reach, lying
at full length upon the lower branches of trees, and dropping upon its
victims as they pass beneath. Deer and cattle of all kinds it attacks,
and, not content with killing enough for immediate purposes, destroys
large numbers, sucking small quantities of blood from each. According to
Sir William Jardine it is exceedingly destructive among sheep and has
been known to kill fifty in one night. The Puma is, however, easily
tamed and becomes very docile under kindly treatment. Edward Kean kept a
tame one which followed him about like a dog and was as playful as a
kitten.
The Puma's Ferocity.
"Molina and D'Azara say," says Sir William Jardine, "that the puma will
flee from men, and that its timidity renders its pursuit generally free
from danger." The following incident given by Sir William Jardine and at
greater length by Captain Brown, shows that this is not always the case.
According to these accounts, two hunters visited the Katskills in
pursuit of game, each armed with a gun and accompanied by a dog. They
agreed to follow contrary directions round the base of a hill, and to
join each other immediately upon hearing the report of a gun. Shortly
after parting, one of the friends heard the gun of his comrade and
hastening to his assistance came first upon the body of his friend's
dog, torn and lacerated; proceeding further, his attention was attracted
by the growl of a wild animal, and looking up, he discovered a large
puma crouching over the body of his friend, upon the branch of a tree.
The animal glared at him, and he, knowing the rapidity of the Puma's
movements, immediately raised his gun and fired, whereupon the puma
rolled over on to the ground with his prey. The dog flew at the
infuriated beast, but one blow from the puma's paw silenced him for
ever. Seeing that his comrade was dead the hunter left the scene in
search of assistance, upon securing which, he returned to find the puma
dead, beside the two dogs and the hunter whom he had killed.
Animals and Men.
Captain Head, in his "Journey Across the Pampas" says:--"The fear which
all wild animals in America have of man is very singularly seen in the
Pampas. I often rode towards the ostriches and _zamas_, crouching under
the opposite side of my horse's neck; but I always found that, although
they would allow my loose horse to approach them, they, even when young,
ran from me, though little of my figure was visible; and when I saw them
all enjoying themselves in such full liberty, it was at first not
pleasing to observe that one's appearance was everywhere a signal to
them that they should fly from their enemy. Yet it is by this fear 'that
man hath dominion over the beasts of the field,' and there is no animal
in South America that does not acknowledge this instinctive feeling. As
a singular proof of the above, and of the difference between the wild
beasts of America and of the old world, I will venture to relate a
circumstance which a man sincerely assured me had happened to him in
South America:--He was trying to shoot some wild ducks, and, in order to
approach them unperceived, he put the corner of his poncho (which is a
sort of long narrow blanket) over his head, and crawling along the
ground upon his hands and knees, the poncho not only covered his body,
but trailed along the ground behind him. As he was thus creeping by a
large bush of reeds, he heard a loud, sudden noise, between a bark and a
roar: he felt something heavy strike his feet, and, instantly jumping
up, he saw, to his astonishment, a large puma actually standing on his
poncho; and, perhaps, the animal was equally astonished to find himself
in the immediate presence of so athletic a man. The man told me he was
unwilling to fire, as his gun was loaded with very small shot; and he
therefore remained motionless, the puma standing on his poncho for many
seconds; at last the creature turned his head, and walking very slowly
away about ten yards, he stopped, and turned again: the man still
maintained his ground, upon which the puma tacitly acknowledged his
supremacy, and walked off."
The Ocelot.
The Ocelot is a native of South America and one of the most beautiful of
the Cat family. It is smaller than the Leopard, attaining to about three
feet in length, and eighteen inches in height. Its colour is grey,
tinged with fawn and the body and legs are covered with longitudinal
chainlike stripes broken into patches of some inches. Its habits are
like those of its near relations, the Leopard and the Jaguar, though its
appetite for blood makes it perhaps even more destructive. It will suck
blood with the greatest avidity and frequently leave a carcase otherwise
untouched in order to pursue other animals for the sake of more blood.
When tame the Ocelot is remarkably playful, climbing up the legs and
nestling in the arms of its benefactors. It is apt to be dangerous in a
poultry yard but will keep good friends with a house dog, and play,
somewhat roughly, perhaps, but without malice, with children.
The Clouded Tiger.
This animal belongs to Sumatra where it lives upon the forest birds.
Like the Ocelot it is exceedingly playful when tame, seeking the notice
and returning the caresses of all who encourage it.
The Serval.
"The Serval," says Captain Brown, "is somewhat larger than the ordinary
wild cat. Its general colour is a pale fulvous yellow. It resides on
trees, where it makes a bed, and breeds its young. It seldom appears on
the ground, living principally on birds, squirrels, and small animals;
it is extremely agile, and leaps, with great rapidity, from one branch
to another. The serval never assaults man, but rather endeavours to
avoid him; if, however, it is compelled to attack, it darts furiously on
its antagonist, and bites and tears, like the rest of the cat kind."
The Common Wild Cat.
The common wild cat is one of the few wild animals still to be found in
the British Isles. Up till recent years these cats were observed among
the woody mountainous districts of Cumberland and Westmoreland and in
the wild parts of Scotland and Ireland, though as the land is brought
more and more under cultivation they decrease in numbers, failing
suitable asylum. They abound in the forests of Germany and Russia, where
they live in the hollows of trees and caves of rocks, and feed on birds,
squirrels, hares and rabbits, and will even attack young lambs and
fawns. The wild cat is not to be confused with the domestic cat which
has relapsed into a wild state. "In the form and shape of the tail,"
says Sir William Jardine, "this animal somewhat resembles the Lynx. The
fur is very thick, woolly and long. The general colour is a greyish
yellow, in some specimens inclining much to a shade of bluish
grey."--"They spring," says Mrs. Bowdich, "furiously upon whoever
approaches, and utter unearthly cries. Mr. St. John, when walking up to
his knees in heather over broken ground, came suddenly upon a wild cat.
She rushed out between his legs, every hair standing up. He cut a
good-sized stick; and three Skye terriers gave chase till she took
refuge in a corner, spitting and growling. On trying to dislodge her,
she flew at Mr. St. John's face, over the dogs' heads; but he struck her
while in the air, and she fell among the dogs, who soon despatched her,
even though it has been said that a wild cat has twelve instead of nine
lives. If one of these animals is taken, those in the neighbourhood are
sure to be also secured, as they will all, after the manner of foxes,
assemble round the body of their relative."
The Domestic Cat.
The origin of the domestic cat is difficult to determine. Cats were
numerous in Egypt from an early date, and are said to be native to
Syria. According to Professor Rolleston the cat was not domesticated
anywhere, except in Egypt, before the Christian Era. Few animals are
more familiar to the general reader, and few therefore, need less
description. The "Tabby" is perhaps the commonest, though black, white,
and tortoise-shell varieties abound. The Angora or Angola cat, the
Persian cat, and the Manx cat, which latter is deficient in the useful
and ornamental embellishment of a tail, are also well known.
Cat Superstitions.
There are many superstitions concerning the cat, the black variety
coming in for the larger share of popular suspicion. To steal one and
bury it alive was at one time regarded as a specific against cattle
disease in the Irish Highlands, while, according to Captain Brown, it
was the practice for families in Scotland to tie up their cats on
Hallowe'en to prevent their use for equestrian purposes by witches
during the night. "They have always been regarded as attendants upon
witches," says Mrs. Bowdich, "and witches themselves have been said to
borrow their shapes when on their mysterious expeditions. I was once
told that Lord Cochrane was accompanied by a favourite black cat in a
cruise through the northern seas. The weather had been most
unpropitious; no day had passed without some untoward circumstance; and
the sailors were not slow in attributing the whole to the influence of
the black cat on board. This came to Lord Cochrane's ears, and knowing
that any attempt to reason his men out of so absurd a notion was
perfectly useless, he offered to sacrifice this object of his regard,
and have her thrown overboard. This, however, far from creating any
satisfaction, only alarmed the men still more. They were sure that the
tempests she would then raise would be much worse than any they had yet
encountered; and they implored his lordship to let her remain
unmolested. 'There was no help, and they could only hope, if she were
not affronted, they might at the end of their time reach England in
safety.'"
The Cat as a Hunter.
"The cat," says the Rev. J. G. Wood, "is familiarly known to us as a
persevering mouse-hunter. So strong, indeed, is the passion for hunting
in the breast of the cat, that she sometimes disdains mice, 'and such
small deer,' and trespasses on warrens or preserves. A large tabby cat,
residing at no great distance from White Horse Vale, was accustomed to
go out poaching in the preserves of a neighbouring nobleman, and so
expert was she at this illegal sport that she constantly returned
bearing in her mouth a leveret or a partridge, which she insisted on
presenting to her mistress, who in vain endeavoured to check her
marauding propensities. These exploits, however, brought their own
punishment; for one day, when in the act of seizing a leveret, she found
herself caught in a vermin trap, which deprived her of one of her hind
legs. This misfortune did not damp her enthusiasm for hunting, as,
although the loss of a leg prevented her from chasing hares, and
suchlike animals, she would still bring in an occasional rat."
The Cat and her Young.
"A cat, which had a numerous litter of kittens," says Captain Brown,
"one sunny day encouraged her little ones to frolic in the vernal beams
of noon, about the stable door, where she was domiciled. While she was
joining them in a thousand tricks and gambols, a large hawk, who was
sailing above the barn-yard, in a moment darted upon one of the kittens,
and would have as quickly borne it off, but for the courageous mother,
who, seeing the danger of her offspring, sprang on the common enemy,
who, to defend itself, let fall the prize. The battle presently became
severe to both parties. The hawk, by the power of his wings, the
sharpness of his talons, and the strength of his beak, had for a while
the advantage, cruelly lacerating the poor cat, and had actually
deprived her of one eye in the conflict; but puss, no way daunted at the
accident, strove, with all her cunning and agility, for her kittens,
till she had broken the wing of her adversary. In this state, she got
him more within the power of her claws, and availing herself of this
advantage, by an instantaneous exertion, she laid the hawk motionless
beneath her feet; and, as if exulting in the victory, tore the head off
the vanquished tyrant. This accomplished, disregarding the loss of her
eye, she ran to the bleeding kitten, licked the wounds made by the
hawk's talons in its tender sides, and purred whilst she caressed her
liberated offspring."
The Cat as a Foster Mother.
The female cat seems to be in a special sense a born mother. She is
assiduous in the care of her own young and singularly ready to extend
the benefits of motherhood even to alien offspring. Instances are on
record in which cats have reared squirrels, dogs, leverets, rats, ducks,
chickens, and even small birds. These have usually occurred at times
when the cats have been deprived of their own young. Mr. T. Foggitt
says: "A cat belonging to the Albert Dock Warehouse, Liverpool, gave
birth to six kittens. It was deemed necessary to destroy four of them,
and they were accordingly drowned. The remaining two were placed, along
with their mother, in some loose cotton, collected for the purpose in a
box, in one of the warehouse rooms. On removing the box a few mornings
after, to give puss her usual breakfast, great curiosity was excited on
seeing a third added to the number; and the astonishment was still
greater when the third was discovered to be a young rat which the cat
had taken from its nest in the night-time, and brought home as a
companion to the kittens she was then nursing. The young rat was very
lively, and was treated by the cat with the same attention and care as
if it were one of her own offspring."
The Cat as a Traveller.
The distances that cats will travel, finding their way with unerring
instinct many miles across country of which there seems no reason to
suppose them to have had previous knowledge is very remarkable. Mrs.
Bowdich records the case of a cat who disliking her new home, returned
to her old one, in doing which, she had to cross two rivers, one of them
about eighty feet broad and two feet and a half deep, running strong;
the other wider and more rapid, but less deep. Cats are said to have
found their way from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and one to the writer's
knowledge returned from Dover to Canterbury after being carried from
thence by rail. Captain Brown gives the following remarkable instance.
In June, 1825, a farmer, residing in the neighbourhood of Ross, sent a
load of grain to Gloucester, a distance of about sixteen miles. The
waggoners loaded in the evening, and started early in the morning. On
unloading at Gloucester, a favourite cat, belonging to the farmer, was
found among the sacks, with two kittens of very recent birth. The
waggoner very humanely placed puss and her young in a hay-loft, where he
expected they would remain in safety, until he should be ready to depart
for home. On his return to the loft shortly afterwards, neither cat nor
kittens were to be found, and he reluctantly left town without them.
Next morning the cat entered the kitchen of her master's house with one
kitten in her mouth. It was dead; but she placed it before the fire, and
without seeking food, or indulging, for a moment, in the genial warmth
of her domestic hearth, disappeared again. In a short time she returned
with the other kitten, laid it down by the first, stretched herself
beside them, and instantly expired! The poor creature could have carried
but one at a time, and, consequently, must have travelled three times
over the whole line of her journey, and performed forty-eight miles in
less than twelve hours.
The Cat as Sportsman.
The favourite food of the cat is fish, which curiously enough inhabits
an element to which the cat has a great aversion. There are, however,
numerous instances on record of cats which have overcome their natural
antipathy to water in order to gratify their natural taste for fish. An
extraordinary case of this kind is recorded in the _Plymouth Journal_,
June, 1828:--"There is now at the battery on the Devil's Point, a cat,
which is an expert catcher of the finny tribe, being in the constant
habit of diving into the sea, and bringing up the fish alive in her
mouth, and depositing them in the guard-room, for the use of the
soldiers. She is now seven years old, and has long been a useful
caterer. It is supposed that her pursuit of the water-rats first taught
her to venture into the water, to which it is well known puss has a
natural aversion. She is as fond of the water as a Newfoundland dog, and
takes her regular peregrinations along the rocks at its edge, looking
out for her prey, ready to dive for them at a moment's notice."
Mr. Beverley R. Morris says: "When living in Worcester many years ago, I
remember frequently seeing the cat of a near neighbour of ours bring
fish, mostly eels, into the house, which it used to catch in a pond not
far off. This was an almost everyday occurrence."
The Cat's Intelligence.
Many remarkable illustrations might be given of the sagacity and
intelligence of the cat. A lady had for many years been the possessor of
a cat and a canary bird, who became the closest friends, never bearing
any lengthy separation from each other, and spending their whole time in
each other's society. One summer day the lady was sitting working in
her drawing-room, and the cat and bird were a short distance off.
Suddenly, without a moment's deliberation, the cat, to the great
astonishment of the lady, uttered a loud growl, and then, seizing her
little playmate in her mouth, darted off with it to a place of safety. A
strange cat had entered the room and the friendly one had adopted this
plan of saving the bird from the enemy. A still more remarkable
illustration of the intelligence of a cat is given by De la Croix as
follows: "I once saw," says he, "a lecturer upon experimental philosophy
place a cat under the glass receiver of an air-pump, for the purpose of
demonstrating that very certain fact, that life cannot be supported
without air and respiration. The lecturer had already made several
strokes with the piston, in order to exhaust the receiver of its air,
when the animal, who began to feel herself very uncomfortable in the
rarefied atmosphere, was fortunate enough to discover the source from
which her uneasiness proceeded. She placed her paw upon the hole through
which the air escaped, and thus prevented any more from passing out of
the receiver. All the exertions of the philosopher were now unavailing;
in vain he drew the piston; the cat's paw effectually prevented its
operation. Hoping to effect his purpose, he let air again into the
receiver, which, as soon as the cat perceived, she withdrew her paw from
the aperture; but whenever he attempted to exhaust the receiver, she
applied her paw as before. All the spectators clapped their hands in
admiration of the wonderful sagacity of the animal, and the lecturer
found himself under the necessity of liberating her, and substituting in
her place another, that possessed less penetration, and enabled him to
exhibit the cruel experiment."
The Lynx.
The several species of the Lynx belong to the genus Lyncus, the
principle varieties of which are the Canada Lynx, and the European Lynx.
The Lynx has short legs, and is generally about the size of a fox,
attaining often to three feet in length. It preys upon small quadrupeds
and birds, in the pursuit of which it is an expert climber. The Canada
Lynx preys largely upon the American hare, which it is well qualified to
hunt. The Lynx is distinguished by a peculiar gait, for unlike other
animals, it bounds with, and alights upon, all four feet at once. The
ears are erect, and tipped with a long pencil of black hair. The fur
which is long and thick is of a pale grey colour, with a reddish tinge,
marked with dusky spots on the upper part of the body. The under parts
are white. The European Lynx feeds upon small animals and birds. The fur
of the lynx is valuable, on account of its great softness and warmth,
and is in consequence an extensive article of commerce. It inhabits the
northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America; and prefers cold or
temperate climates, differing in this respect from most of the cat
tribe.
The Chetah.
The Chetah or Hunting Leopard is the one species of the genus
Cyn[oe]lurus. It is a handsome animal and capable of considerable
training. According to Mr. Benet's description it is "intermediate in
size between the leopard and the hound, more slender in its body, more
elevated in its legs, and less flattened on the fore part of its head
than the leopard, while deficient in the peculiarly graceful and
lengthened form, both of head and body, which characterizes the hound."
"The ground colour of the Chetah is a bright yellowish fawn above, and
nearly pure white beneath; covered above, and on the sides, by
innumerable closely approximating spots, from half an inch to an inch in
diameter, which are intensely black, and do not, as in the leopard and
other spotted cats, form roses with a lighter centre, but are full and
complete." The Chetah is found in India and Africa but it is only in
India that it is trained for hunting purposes. Sir William Jardine says:
"the employment of the hunting leopard may be compared to the sport of
falconry. The natural instinct teaches them to pursue the game, the
reward of a portion of it, or of the blood, induces them to give it up,
and again subject themselves to their master."
The Chetah as a Huntsman.
The practice of employing animals to hunt animals is of very early
origin, and the docility of the Chetah early marked him out as a
suitable ally in the chase. Chetahs are so gentle that they can be led
about in a leash like greyhounds. The following description of a hunt is
from "The Naturalist's Library". "Just before we reached our ground, the
shuter suwars (camel courier), who always moved on our flanks in search
of game, reported a herd of antelopes, about a mile out of the line of
march, and the Chetahs being at hand, we went in pursuit of them. The
leopards are each accommodated with a flat-topped cart, without sides,
drawn by two bullocks, and each animal has two attendants. They are
loosely bound by a collar and rope to the back of the vehicle, and are
also held by the keeper by a strap round the loins. A leathern hood
covers the eyes. On entering from a cotton field, we came in sight of
four antelopes, and my driver managed to get within a hundred yards of
them before they took alarm. The Chetah was quickly unhooded and loosed
from his bonds; and, as soon as he viewed the deer, he dropped quietly
off the cart on the opposite side to that on which they stood, and
approached them at a slow crouching canter, masking himself by every
bush, and inequality, which lay in his way. As soon, however, as the
deer began to show alarm, he quickened his pace and was in the midst of
them in a few bounds. He singled out a doe, and ran it close for about
200 yards, when he reached it with a blow of his paw, rolled it over,
and in an instant was sucking the life blood from its throat." "As soon
as the deer is pulled," says the same account, "a keeper runs up, hoods
the Chetah, cuts the victim's throat, and securing some of the blood in
a wooden ladle, thrusts it under the leopard's nose. The antelope is
then dragged away and placed in a receptacle under the hatchery, while
the Chetah is rewarded with a leg for his pains."
The Civits.
The family Viverridæ includes a large number of species of small
carnivorous animals of which the Civits and the Ichneumons are the best
known. They belong chiefly to Africa and South Asia, but some are found
in the south of Europe. The African Civit hails from Gaboon and
Abyssinia and the Asiatic variety from Bengal, Nepaul, China and
Formosa. It is from these animals that we get the fatty substance, used
in perfumery and known as civit. Of this Mr. Piesse says: "In its pure
state, civit has to nearly all persons a most disgusting odour, but when
diluted to an infinitesimal portion its perfume is agreeable. The Genet,
and the Paradoxure are other genera of this family."
The Ichneumon.