MAMMALIA — LYNX. 195 



THE LYNX' 



Is an animal more commonly found in cold than in temperate climates ; 

 and is, at least, very rare in hot ones. Bory St Vincent, however, assures 

 us that he shot several in Spain. It is abundant in the northern parts of 

 Europe, Asia, and America. The lynx of the Greeks and Romans was not 

 the animal which now bears that name, but the caracal. 



The lynx, of which the ancients have said, that the sight was so sharp 

 as to penetrate opaque bodies, and of which the urine was made to possess 

 the marvellous property of hardening into a solid substance, a precious stone 

 called lapis lyncurius, is an animal which never existed, any more than all 

 the properties attributed to it, but in fable. To the present lynx, or to the 

 caracal, this imaginary one has no affinity, but in name. We must not, 

 therefore, as the generality of naturalists have hitherto done, attribute to 

 the former, which is a real being, the properties of this imaginary one, the 

 existence of which Pliny himself does not seem disposed to believe, since 

 he speaks of it only as an extraordinary beast, and classes it with the 

 sphinx, the pegasus, and other prodigies, or monsters, the produce of 

 iEthiopia. 



The European lynx possesses not the wonderful quality of seeing through 

 walls ; but it has bright eyes, a mild aspect, and, upon the whole, an agreea- 

 ble and lively appearance. Such, however, is its native ferocity, that it is 

 said to be incapable of being subdued. Its urine produces not precious 

 stones, but like the cat, an animal which it nearly resembles, and of which 

 it retains the manners, and even the cleanliness, it covers it over with 

 earth. 



The most beautiful skins of the lynx are brought from Siberia, as belong- 

 ing to the lupus-cervarius ; and from Canada, as belonging to the felis- 

 cervarius ; because being, like all other animals of the New Continent, 

 smaller than those of the Old World, in Europe they are compared to a 

 wolf in size, and in Canada to a wild cat. 



The lynx has short legs, and is generally about the size of the fox. The 

 ears are erect, and are tipped with a long pencil of Mack hair. The fur, 



1 Fdis lynx, Lin. 



