Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1890 — The South American Puma. [ARTICLE]

The South American Puma.

The puma or cougar is of the largest ; of the Amercan Felidoc, and is some- ! times called the mountain lion, although the resemblance to a lion is i very slight. It is the dreaded panther (or painter) of North America, and many tales of its ferocity,, and bloodthirstiness are current. |: It is now rare ip the United States, but in South America the pum i, to give its proper name, abounds, and i there it seems to have lost its ferocity i and is actually a friend of man. j Claudio Gay, in his “Natural. His- ! tory of Chili,” says, “When attacked by man, its energy and daring at once forsake it, and it becomes a weak, inoffensive animal, and, trembling and uttering pit ous moans and shedding -abundant tear 3, it-seems to implore compassion from a generous enemy.” The enemy is not often generous but many herders have assured me, when ! speaking on this subject, that although ' they kill the puma readily to protect i their domestic animals, they consider j it "an evil thing to take its life in desert | places, where it is man's only friend among the wild auimals. When the hunter is accompanied by dogs, then the puma, instead of drooping and sheddrng teurs, is roused to a sublime rage; its hair stands erect; its eyes shine like balls of green flame, it spits and snarls like a furious cat. The hnntm-’s times to be ignored altogether, its whole attention being given to the dogs and its rage directed against them.