Bill Ritchie, age 10, of Tacoma, Wash., for his question:

HOW BIG IS THE JAGUAR?

Probably the most ferocious cat in the Western Hemisphere is the jaguar. The jaguar is slightly smaller, but heavier, than the mountain lion. A male jaguar may grow to be about eight feet long, including its two and a half foot tail, and may weigh up to 290 pounds. The female is a bit smaller.

The jaguar is the most feared animal in the Central and South American rain forests. The animal likes to lie on tree branches and leap upon its prey. It eats such animals as deer, peccary, tapir, and the agouti. It has also killed and eaten human beings.

A jaguar's coat is usually yellow or brownish yellow and marked with many dark spots. Some of the spots look like broken rings. The spots are light colored with dark borders and a dark spot in the center. Other spots can be black.

Some South American jaguars are almost coal black. The ancient Mays Indians used to think that the jaguar was a god.