Panther, who reduced it to atoms; nor could he venture to open a bottle of perfume where the animal was, he was so eager to enjoy it. I indulged him twice a week, by making a cup of stiff paper, putting a little lavender water into it, and giving it to him through the bars of his cage; he would drag it to him with great eagerness, roll himself over it, nor rest till the smell had evaporated.

We lay eight weeks in the river Gaboa, where he had plenty of excellent food, but was never suffered to leave his cage, on account of the deck being always filled with black strangers, from whom he had a decided aversion, although he was perfectly reconciled to white people. His indignation, however, was strongly excited by the pigs, when they were suffered to run past his cage; and the sight of one of the monkeys put him in a complete fury. While at anchor in the before-mentioned river, an ourang-outang was brought for sale, and lived three days on board; and I shall never forget the uncontrolable rage of one, or the agony of the other, at this meeting.

The ourang was about three feet high, and very powerful in proportion to his size; so that when he fled with extraordinary rapidity from the Panther to the other end of the deck, neither men nor things remained upright when they opposed his progress; there he took refuge in a sail, and although generally obedient to the voice of his master, force was necessary to make him quit the shelter of its folds.

As to the Panther, his back rose to an arch, his tail was elevated and perfectly stiff, his eyes flashed, and as he howled he showed his huge teeth; then, as if forgetting the bars before him, he tried to spring on the ourang to tear him to atoms. It was long before he recovered his tranquillity, day and night he appeared to be on the listen; and the approach of a large monkey we had on board, or the intrusion of a black man, brought a return of his agitation.

We at length sailed for England with an ample supply of provisions, but unhappily we were boarded by pirates

during the voyage, and nearly reduced to starvation. My Panther must have perished, had it not been for a collection of three hundred parrots, with which we sailed from the river, and which died very fast while we were on the northwest trades.

Sai's allowance was one per diem; but this was so scanty a pittance that he grew ravenous, and had not patience to pick all the feathers off before he commenced his meal. The consequence was that he became ill.

He arrived safely in England, however, and was presented to the Dutchess of York; but unhappily this interesting animal died soon after.

THE PUMA, OR COUGAR.

THE size of this animal is not more than two-thirds that of the lion. His body is long, his head small; his colour a light brown.

HABITS.

He is very nimble, and climbs trees with ease; he prowls in woods and thickets for deer, sheep, and other animals. He is fond of killing, and will often destroy more than he has occasion for as food.

NATIVE COUNTRIES.

This animal is a native of both North and South America. In the latter country he is called a lion, in Europe he is

called the American Lion. He resembles the lion only in colour, and in his voice, which is said to be a roar somewhat like that of the lion of Africa. He has no mane.

In North America he is called panther, and by common people painter. He used to inhabit the regions along the Atlantic, and was often seen in New England and New York. But he is seldom seen now in the United States, except in the remote wilds. He has made his appearance once or twice in the mountainous districts of Pennsylvania within a few years.

ANECDOTES.

Two gentlemen were travelling in Ohio some years ago; the country being thinly inhabited, and having some reason to fear being robbed, they resolved to sleep in the woods. In the night they heard something stealing softly through the bushes upon them. Thinking it a robber, they waited a little, and then rushed toward it. They saw nothing, but in the morning they found their horses bloody and torn, and therefore knew that a Cougar, instead of a robber, had been prowling about them; and that this animal had chased the horses, and scratched them with its claws.

A short time since, some gentlemen were hunting in Pennsylvania; one of them shot a deer; on going up toward it he saw a Cougar had taken possession of his prize. He shot this Cougar; but on going nearer to the deer, he found that another Cougar was engaged in strangling the animal, which was not quite dead. After killing him also, the hunters were able to take peaceable possession of their game.

Two men were searching for game several years since in the Catskill mountains. Coming to a hill, they agreed to pass round it, one going one way, and the other going the other way. At length one of them heard the report of a gun; he ran to the spot, but could see nothing of his companion. He found his dog, at length, torn in pieces; and by and by saw a Cougar, with the body of his friend, in the

top of a tree. He fired his gun, and the animal dropped, with his prey, to the ground. The dog of the huntsman attacked the wounded animal, but was instantly killed by a stroke of his paw. The huntsman now procured help at a neighbouring village. The party found the Cougar dead, and by it the body of the unfortunate sportsman, who was also dead.

The following tale is related by Captain Head, who travelled recently in South America. The facts were told him by the actor in the scene.

A gentleman 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 Cougar 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 Cougar standing on his poncho for many seconds. At last the creature turned his head, and walked very slowly away. This adventure is represented in the preceding cut.

The Cougar is still common in South America. Mr. Beaumont, in his work on Buenos Ayres, says, that he has frequently seen this animal chained up like a house-dog, apparently as tame and as familiar with his master.

D

THE Leopard is smaller than the panther, but resembles him in form; his colour is brighter, and the spots on his skin are smaller, and so disposed as to resemble the print of the animal's foot. The circular spots or rings on the panther have frequently a spot in the middle; those of the Leopard have none. He is very beautiful, and his skin is much prized. He preys, like the panther, on antelopes, sheep, monkeys, and other animals. He abounds in the interior of Africa, and is found in many parts of Asia.

ANECDOTES.

It used to be said that the Leopard could be caught by a trap, with a mirror so contrived, that the animal, on seeing the reflection of himself in the mirror, would imagine that