PUMA, a name, probably of native origin, introduced into European literature by the early Spanish writers on South America (as Garcilaso de la Vega and Hernandez) for one of the largest feline animals of the New World. It is generally called “cougouar” by the French, “leon” by the Spanish Americans, and “panther” by the Anglo-American hunters of the United States. It is the Felis concolor of Linnaeus and all subsequent systematic zoological authors. In general and anatomical characters, teeth, &c., it is a typical member of the genus Fells. (See Mammalia, vol. xv. p. 434.) Though often spoken of as the American lion, chiefly on account of its colour, it rather resembles the leopard of the Old World in size and habits. It usually measures from nose to root of tail about 40 inches, the tail being rather more than half that length. The head is rather small compared with that of other cats and has no mane. The ears are large and rounded. The tail is cylindrical, with some bushy elongation of the hairs near the end, but not forming a distinct tuft as in the lion. The general colour of all the upper parts and sides of the adult is a tawny yellowish brown, sometimes having a grey or silvery shade, but in some individuals dark or inclining to red. The lower parts of the body, inner surface of the limbs, the throat, chin, and upper lip are dirty white; the outside of the ears, particularly at their base, and a patch on each side of the muzzle black; the end of the tail dusky. The young, as is the case with the other plain-coloured Felidae, are, when born, spotted with dusky brown and the tail ringed. These markings gradually fade, and quite disappear before the animal becomes full-grown....