F. uncia, or the ounce, is about three feet and a half in length, and has a skin beautifully varied with single spots, or oval collections of them, on a light-grey ground-colour. It is a native of China, Persia, and Barbary. Its sense of smell is not extremely acute, but its eye pos sesses exquisite discernment, on which account it is disciplined to the chase with wonderful success ; and so gentle are its manners, that it is taken to the hunt on the crupper of the horse, behind its own er. It is not remarkable for speed in running, or at least for a continuance of rapid exertion, and is, indeed, incapable of it ; but it seizes its prey by a few rapid bounds, in which it displays astonishing nimbleness and dexterity. It frequently ascends trees, from which it may dart on any animals leisurely and fearlessly pass ing beneath.
F. onca, the Jaguar, is the most formi dable of all the animals found in the new continent, and abounds particularly in the of Guiana ; in passing which the Indians, who have an extreme dread of this animal, always kindle fires to keep it at a distance. In some of its manners and habits, it strongly resembles the ti ger. It sucks the blood previous to de vouring the flesh of its prey, in pursuit of which it is very swift, and will ascend trees of the loftiest and smoothest kind with astonishing facility; its howl is ter rific. The female is said to produce two young at a birth. Its ground colour is a light brownish-yellow, which is varied with streaks and open spots of black. it is rather larger than a wolf, but is said to find a formidable, and often fatal, antago nist in the ant-eater, which, on being at tacked by the jaguar, throws itself on its back, and with its long claws fixes on his throat, and kills him by suffocation.
F. concolor, the brown tiger, puma or cougouar. The body is tawny, immacu late, thin and long, beneath whitish, been called, the American lion. It is the largest of the American beasts prey, and is extremely fierce and raven. ous. It inhabits -in many parts from Canada to Florida, and is found also in Mexico and Brazil. In the warmer cli mates it possesses its greatest perfection in vigour and courage, and will frequent ly cross rapid torrents to seize cattle grazing in inclosures near the habitations of man. It has been known to attack a wolf. It is a formidable enemy to the moose-deer, and others of that tribe; and will often mount trees to watch the ani mals that pass beneath, selecting the vic tims of its rapacity, and quittingthem on ly after having exhausted their last drop of blood. This fierce animal, strange as
it may appear, if taken young, is trained to become as inoffensive nearly as the common cat, like which animal also it puns ; and will permit, without rage or resentment, all the rough caresses and violent gambols of boys. When satiated with food, it conceals the remainder.
The fur is used in the dress of the Aborigines, and the flesh is much es teemed by them as an article of food.
F. discolor, or the black tiger, is con sidered by many only as a variety of the former species. It is exceedingly strong in its limbs, and attains the size of a heifer of a year Old. It is found in Brazil and Guiana ; and is rapacious and savage in its disposition; and fortunately, therefore, not abundant. It eats the buds of the In dian fig occasionally, but more frequently the eggs of turtles deposited on the shore. Lizards, fishes, and young alligators, are all made prey by it. It swims with great rapidity. In quest of the alligator it em ploys the stratagem of lying down on its belly at the edge of the water, and strik ing it with its paws ; the noise and mo tion induce the alligator to lift its head above the surface, when the claw of the black tiger is instantly fixed in its eye, and drags it to the lard.
F. pardalis, or ocelot, is about four times the size of a domestic cat, the shape of which it extremely resembles, and is oge of the most beautiful of all variegated quadrupeds. It is a native of South Ame rica, and particularly destructive, which may be, in a great degree, accounted for, from the circumstance of its seldom de vouring the flesh of animals, rather thirst ing, with insatiable avidity, for their blood. In the mountainous tracts of Mexico and Brazil these animals are abundant, hiding themselves amidst the foliage of trees, whence they spring upon their prey beneath. They are reported frequently to stretch themselves out mo tionless on the branches of trees, to in duce the monkey to approach and ex amine them, which, with his usual curio sity, he is in such circumstances prompt ed to do ; this curiosity, however, is only the instant prelude to his destruction. These animals are scarcely capable of be ing tamed, and in captivity display inces sant restlessness and ferocity.