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AUDUBON'S Quadrupeds
THE JAGUAR "Alike beautiful and ferocious, the Jaguar is of all American animals unquestionably the most to be dreaded, on account of its combined strength, activity, and courage, which not only give it a vast physical power over other wild creatures, but enable it frequently to destroy man. Compared with this formidable beast, the cougar need hardly be dreaded more than the wild cat, and the grizzly bear, although often quite as ready to attack man, is inferior in swiftness and stealthy cunning.... Col. Hays and several other officers of the Rangers, at the time J.W. Audubon was at San Antonio de Bexar, in 1845, informed him that the Jaguar was most frequently found about the watering-places of the mustangs, or wild horses, and deer....Col. Hays had killed four Jaguars during his stay in Texas. These animals are known in that country by the Americans as the 'Leopard,' and by the Mexicans as the 'Mexican tiger.'... In a conversation with General Houston at Washington city, he informed us that he had found the Jaguar east of the San Jacinto river, and abundantly on the head waters of some of the eastern tributaries of the Rio Grande, the Guadaloupe, &c." Vol. 3, pp. 3-6. Virtual Exhibits -- Special Collections & Archives -- Nimitz Library -- USNA Comments or Suggestions? |