The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12

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Foes In Maturity The Anineis and
Their Traits D~escribed-rheir Way or
killing Men, Horses, and other lnrse
acknowledgements strength and ARii-
ity-strong Anectio. for Their Mates.
From the San FYunctsco Chronfcl.
Tho beast known up and down tho Pacific
coast and west of tho Rocky Mountains as the
California lion Is known In South America
and the West Indies as the puma or cougar.
1t ls simply nm immense cat. II combines the
cunning agility of the cat with the fcrocity Of
tho tiger and the strength of the Asiatic lion.
No American Wild feline exccls 1t in size.
About twenty Of the brutcs are Killed In south.
ern California each year. but there are scores
Of men who have spent considerable time In the
mountains and who have lived for years in the
valleys who have never seen n California lion.
There are said to DC more Of the beasts In the
mountains between California and Lower Cali.
fornia than In any other locality In this region.
Tho mountain lion whclp makes nm attrnc-
tive pet until he gets go large as to be formida-
bic in strength. That point reached, while
still nmiable toward his master, he becomes un.
safe for strangers to approach. and his fierce
predatory instincts are invariably displayed
toward animals which are his natural prey.
Until these instincts become manifest, which
uShhi' 'NNhi0 "llt NIt NntID IS hUOUI u } tuI
old, he is rs playful and gentle ms n kitten. and
his soft. violet eyes give no warning Of latent
danger. The cubs are born with faint mark.
ings OF lars and spots. which disappear soon
after their eyes get oren.
The most important characteristics of the
tnlifornta lion resemble those of the feline.
1t sleeps by day in secluded spots in the noun.
tain. canons and caves. and lrowls at night
FOR food; There Is scarcely q case on record
OF n lion seeking food abroad In tn" daytime.
IL has the slow, crouChiug. and noiscless move.
mehts OF the cat, and invariably steals upon
its victims. 1t has never been known to at
tack n man or n beast in n fair. open way. as
the bear or the Wild beasts of the tropics. The
those of the cat In color, form. and the dila-
ton in darkness. 1t has the patience of tho
cat IN waiting for It's game. and has the same
portunity OF capture presents itself. IT Is n
coward, and will run miles to avoid n human
being; but II cornered. it turns with ferocity
and, madness upon any pursuer.
The mountain. lions. rs they are known
among the CaiifornianS, are larger in south.
regions. The average weight of the mature
bG Gas, is iao pounds. There have been some
mails vary from six feet five inches. from nose
to tip, of tail, to eight feet in length. The
In height, The animals are of ycllowish brown
or a dirty color. and have no spots on their
bodies. although the young lions have ~freluent
large mouths and sharp side teeth. like all
,he feline tribe. three inches long. They Kills
Nilcil tlIi u ttHTlIlS IIlb INV lItS1 III III NIIHts.
Hunters say that the mountain lion prefers
deer to other animals, although the hogs.
tains have hundreds Of times made meals for
the beasts; 1t generally attacks its victims
by ,stealthlly %crawling out upon a limb or
the ground. II lies In wait there for hours for
IL prey to come, that way or 70 present itself.
game. and clutching it about the body tears
open the neck and at once kills the animal. 1t
or n COW. hv "A sinvIl hitp # fltp iIpl1Dr vain
Lions have been known to carry colts. calves.
or deer weighing over 100 pounds several miles
are teasted upon where they are slain.
There are hundreds Of stories of the habits
and work Of the mountain lions. and every few
weeks the rnral press has accounts of the loss
Of horses or cattle. and especially sheep and
hogs. by the hungry hrutes. There are some
Instances of death among children from at
tacks by unusually ferocious mountain lions.
and several men who have c%ornered them in a
cave or thicket have lost their lives under the
teeth and the jaws of these animals Three
years ago last summer a German armer named
Boeheim. living at Strawberry Valley, in the
found that lis picsty had been robbed Several
times IN the course of a month. He sat up
several nights. ana one moonlight night saw an
immense female lion stealing n young porker.
The man aroused his two sons. and the party
ed to kill or capture the thief as she ESCAPED
among the pine trees on the mountain side.
cabin five miles from home. He had tracked
the lionrss there. and had come upon her and
her whclps while In the act of devouring the
zig. The German must have cornered the
wounded female. when she sprang upon him.
threw him 10 the ground, and gnawed out his
and farmers in that region prowled over the
mountain and set several traps for the lioness
and her whclp~. but they were never caught.
although their tracks were freOuently found.
The running and %leaping ability of the Cali
fornia lion when hard dressed by hounds and
Only n fine pack of hounds accustomed to The
can even attempt to run, n genuine
they have seen California lions when holly pur-
sued rise like n winged creature high above the
Ereenwood I'D Cnapnrr"i and make leap after
houlders. logs. and rocks. Ground scent for the
dogs Is barely lev. SO ,%dalnt!ily does he IalIght:
for their guide, 1t is n we'll known fact that
the mountain lion stands in the greatest terror
OF dogs. When, chased by them. he will first
To thc nearest tree. But when there are no
trees of refuge and the linn comes 10 bay. then
means n dead dog. an ! unless he hunter comes
to the rescue with rife Or revolver the savage
Should he succeed In killing all the dogs he will
Immediately turn his attention to the human
enemy: whom he considers the most insiGniti-
tells the following Of his acquaintance with
Valley. whom / knew very well met with a terri
BILE adventure while hurting the mountain lion.
Jacinto Mountain. As q matter OF course, tho
dogs arrived there long before the hunter, and,
wishing to get rs near ms possible to the game.
crowded on n small blum that protected
ahove the lions position, and from there haycd
and growled AT the quarry. The hunter, mean
time. had worked his way up TIL he arrived. say.
within thirty yards of the spot. Here he STOPPED
and was looking ar ,und for n place whence he
could shoot the lion dead without cndanger-
ing the dogs. when, with n shril! scream that
went echoing up the cahOn, the big Cat sprang
upon him. threw him back ward, and, placing
its huge paws on either arm, literally pinned
him TO I ~ ground. giving him no chance what
ever To d Rw n knife or pistol.
THE Hon all this time was growing and
screaming with fury. 50 near were the yellow
fangs 10 the hunters face that the frOth, dim
ping from the beasts mouth, nearly blinded
the PROSTATE man. The hounds for some rca-
sor, perhaps. on account Of the thick brush.
did not SEQ that the lion had pouncea on their
master. so. instead of going to the rescue, AS
they always do. they. with the exception If one
old dog. Vcered to one side and ran quite a lit
tie distance on he back track before finding
their mistake. The veteran hound that STAYED tc-
hind leaped on the rock vacated by III" lion,
and from there saw the ~pcrilous position "t his
master. With a deep bay that
sounded almost like n roar, the noble animal
himself into the air, and al!ghted
within u few feet OF the lion.
The next bound landed him on tho cncmy's
NJ