428 



PRACTICAL ZOOLOGY 



United States ; it is a fierce, greedy animal and a great thief, 

 stealing bait from traps, and even the traps themselves. 



FIG. 294. Wolverine. (Photo, by Hegner.) 



The cat family includes the cat, puma, leopard, lion, tiger, 

 lynx, and cheetah. The principal species inhabiting North 

 America are the wildcat, Canada lynx, puma, and jaguar. The 

 wildcat (Fig. 295), also called 

 bay lynx, bob cat, or catamount, 

 is a stubtailed animal about 

 three feet in length, and weighs 

 up to eighteen pounds. It was 

 formerly common, but is now 

 restricted to the forests of thinly 

 settled localities. Its food con- 

 sists of rabbits, poultry, and 

 other birds and mammals. The 

 Canada lynx, or " loup cervier," 

 is slightly larger than the wild- 

 cat, and can be recognized by a 



tuft of stiff, black hairs project- FIG 2gs _ wildcat . (Photo . by 

 ing upward from each ear. It Hegner.) 



