Extinct Pennsylvania Animals (Volume 1)

Extinct Pennsylvania Animals, Vol I: The Pennsylvania Lion or Panther
By Henry W. Shoemaker
INDEX
Preface History Description Habits Early Prevalence The Great Slaughter The Biggest Panther Diminishing Numbers The Last Phase Re-Introduction: Sporting Possibilities Superstitions Tentative List of Panthers Killed in Pennsylvania Since 1860 Ode to a Stuffed Panther
PREFACE The object of this pamphlet is to produce a narrative blending the history and romance of the once plentiful Lion of Pennsylvania. While pages have been written in natural histories describing this animal's unpleasant characteristics, not a word has been said in its favor. It has never even had an apologetic. In reality the Pennsylvania Lion needs no defenders, as those who understand him realize the nobility of his nature. From reading John W. Godman's "American Natural History," published in 1828, one would imagine that the Pennsylvania Lion, or, as it is most commonly called, the panther, was a most terrible beast. Among other things he says: "In the daytime the cougar is seldom seen, but its peculiar cry frequently thrills the experienced traveler with horror, while camping in the forest for the night." Even Mary Jemison, "The White Woman of the Genessee," speaks of "the terrifying shrieks of the ferocious panther," as she heard it in her childhood days on Marsh Creek, Franklin County. In reality the panther was an inoffensive creature, desiring only to be let alone, yet brave when attacked by dogs, and respectful of man. A single hunter in St. Lawrence County, New York, met five panthers together, of which, with his dog and gun, he killed three at the time and the next day the other two. The first settlers finding it in the woods set out to kill it as they did with every other living thing from the paroquet to the heath-cock, from the northern hare to the pine marten, from the passenger pigeon to the wild turkey, without trying to study it, or give it a chance. Economically the panther was of great value for the hide, meat, and oil, and as the finest game animal which Pennsylvania produced. As former Governor Glynn, of New York, said in a message to the Legislature, "Game should be conserved to furnish a cheap food supply." In the following pages will be found the bulk of the information which the writer has been able to collect on the subject of the panther in Pennsylvania. It has been prepared from the point of view of the old hunters, whom the writer has interviewed. While there are some statements which are liable to be declared scientifically incorrect, they are printed for what they are worth, as the authorities... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Windham Press is committed to bringing the lost cultural heritage of ages past into the 21st century through high-quality reproductions of original, classic printed works at affordable prices. This book has been carefully crafted to utilize the original images of antique books rather than error-prone OCR text. This also preserves the work of the original typesetters of these classics, unknown craftsmen who laid out the text, often by hand, of each and every page you will read. Their subtle art involving judgment and interaction with the text is in many ways superior and more human than the mechanical methods utilized today, and gave each book a unique, hand-crafted feel in its text that connected the reader organically to the art of bindery and book-making. We think these benefits are worth the occasional imperfection resulting from the age of these books at the time of scanning, and their vintage feel provides a connection to the past that goes beyond the mere words of the text.