142 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



Audubon 19 found that the lynx is fond of concealing 

 itself in canebreaks and frequently sleeps in broom grass. 

 When pursued by dogs, he claimed, the wildcat "takes to 

 clayey bottoms so as to cover the bottom of its feet with 

 this adhesive soil to better destroy the scent that the dogs 

 follow in the chase". 



When on a hunt the bay lynx is noted for its habit of 

 uttering wild screams at intervals. This sound, frequently 

 referred to as a caterwaul, is most uncanny, and the theory 

 of many naturalists regarding it is that it is uttered with 

 the object of startling any creature that may be hiding 

 nearby into action so that the cat may more easily locate it 

 by the sound of its prey scampering through the grasses to 

 escape. 



Shy and exceedingly cautious about showing itself, and 

 making off quickly at the approach of man, the bay lynx is 

 a savage and dangerous fighter when cornered or held in a 

 trap, and the female proves a tough customer when defend- 

 ing her kittens. It is this fierceness that has been respon- 

 sible for the saying that a man has marked ability as a 

 scrapper when he is reputed to be able to "whip his weight 

 in wildcats". 



The name lynx is derived from a Greek word meaning 

 "to see," and is in recognition of the animal's extraordinary 

 powers of vision. This, too, has been recognized, popularly 

 by the saying "lynx-eyed". 



The Choctaws called this animal Shakbatina and dif- 

 ferent names were given it by the Indian tribes of the Gulf 

 region. The Tunicas called it tcumu; the Atakapas named 

 it cirvon, while the Chitimacha Indians called this animal 

 tcewa histamon, which means "animal that hides under 

 trash". The Ofo Indians named it atxanta. The Biloxi 

 designation was tmotcka. 



Not as much is known about the reproduction habits of 

 this animal as might be desired. Its mating season is said 

 to occur during the winter in Louisiana, and the kittens, 



ia Audubon, J. J., and Bachman, John, The Viviparous Quadrupeds of 

 North America, vol. 1. 



