FELIS YAGUARUNDI .
TH E YAGrUARUNDI.
FELIS JAGUARONDI, Laccp. (Eavr. d’Azara, Atl. pi. x.—Fisch. Zoogn. (1814) p. 228.—Desm. Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. (1816) p. 113.—Cuv.
Ossem. Foss. (1825) vol. iv. p. 438.—Prinz Max. Beitr. Naturg. Bras. Band ii. (1826) p. 379.—Griff. Anim. King. (1827) vol. ii. p. 486.
—Temm. Mon. Mamm. (1827) vol. i. p. 139.—Less. Man. Mamm. (1827) p. 191. sp. 51.—Rengg. Zool. Journ. (1835) vol. v. p. 470.
—Less. Compl. Buff. (1839) vol. i. p. 410— Id. Nouv. Tab. Regn. Anim. (1842) p. 55. sp. 537.—Jard. Nat. Libr. vol. xvi. p. 136.—
J. E. Gray, Knowsley Menag. (18 4 6 ) pi. iv.—Gerv. Hist. Nat. Mamm. vol. ii. (1855) p. 91.—J. E. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1867)
p. 272.—Id. Cat. Cam. Mamm. (1 8 6 9 ) p. 23.
FELIS YAGOUAROUNDI, Desm. Mamm. (1820) p. 230. no. 361.
FELIS MEXICANA, Desm. (nec De Saussure) Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. (1816) vol. vi. p . 112.—Less. Nouv. Tab. Regn. Anim. (1842) p. 55. sp. 538.
FELIS YAGUARUNDI, Fisch. Syn. Mamm. (1 8 2 9 ) p. 203. sp. 13.—Azara, Nat. Hist. Quad. Parag. (1838) p. 242.—Darw. Voy. Beagle, Mamm.
p. 16, pi. 8.—Burmeist. Syst. Uebers. Thier. Bras. (1854) p. 90.—Baird, U.S. P. R.R. Expl. Exp. (1857) vol. viii. p. 88.—Id. U.S. Mex.
Bound. Surv. (1859) p. 12.-—Alston, Biol. Centr.-Amer. (1 8 8 0 ) Mamm. p. 63.
FELIS UNICOLOR, Traill, Wem. Soc. vol. iii. p. 170 ?
FELIS DARWINII, Martin, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1 8 3 7 ) p. 3.
LEOPARDUS YAGUARONDI, J. E. Gray, Cat. Mamm. Brit. Mus. (1842) p. 42.
FELIS CALOMITTI, Baird, Mamm. N. Amer. t. 74. fig. 2 (skull).
FELIS (HERPAILURUS) YAGUARUNDI, Severtz. Rev. Mag. Zool. (1858) p. 385.
FELIS YAGUARONDI, Tomes, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1 8 6 1 ) p. 287.
PANTHERA YAGUARONDI, Fitzin. Sitzgsber. Akad. Wiss. W ien, (1869) lix. p. 638.
IIab. Mexico; Central America; South America to Paraguay.
T h i s species is found from Mexico in the north, through Central America and South America, to Paraguay. It was
procured by Azara in the last-named country and in the Guaranese Missions; and he says that the sexes resemble each
other, the male being only a little larger. It did not venture into open places, but inhabited woods, thickets, and
ditches. It climbs trees with facility, and passes a good deal of time in them. Whenever the opportunity is given, this
species commits great destruction among poultry. The female is said to bring forth only two young in a year. It is also
stated that the Yaguarundi drops upon the backs of deer {Cervus rufus and Cervus nemorosus), and does not loose its hold,
although the deer gallop off at frill speed, but eventually kills them. This, however, Azara believed to be true only of
young fawns.
Representations are given in the Plate of the two styles of colouring exhibited by this species.
Fur short, rather harsh, entirely of a dark grey colour, lightest in hue on the belly. Some specimens incline to black
with a rufous tinge. In these last the white tips of the hairs are very conspicuous, particularly on the back, which is
often quite black. There are no markings anywhere visible upon the animal. The tail is very long, and of the same
colour as the body. Entire length 27 inches, tail 17.
The skull is broad and long, with a rather lengthened face and narrow nasals. Interorbital space relatively wide, and
the brain-case oblong, rounding prominently outwards. The skull in profile is nearly straight above, or only curving
slightly downwards at the nasals. The premaxillas stand nearly upright; and their processes extend but a short distance
between the maxillas and the nasals. The mandibular ramus curves slightly under the last molar, rising towards the
symphysis.