The Wild Cat, 249 



This animal has a short round head, large eyes, long, thick and 

 strong legs, a short tail, and erect ears, which are tufted with 

 black hairs. Its feet are completely covered by long woolly fur, 

 so that its tracks upon the snow are very large, and do not show 

 any impressions of the toes ; its steps are short. The general 

 colour is gre}^, with indistinct brownish spots. 



It is found more or less abundantly all over the British Pro- 

 vinces of' North America, being a species of the Arctic and North 

 Temperate Zones. It is not found in the Southern States, and 

 is less common in the Northern States than it is in Canada, New 

 Brunswick, and thence northerly. 



The Wild Cat, Lynx Rufus. 



The common American Wild Cat differs from the Canadian 

 Lynx principally in being smaller and of a yellowish or reddish 

 brown color instead of gray. Although in appearance a fe-rocious 

 looking animal, yet it is cowardly, and has never been known to 

 attack any but animals smaller than itself. In those portions of 

 the States where it is not well known, there are always many 

 traditions afloat, attributing to this species the character of a 

 fierce and dangerous animal. The urchin, seldom partial to 

 strange cats of even the domestic species, generally regards that 

 portion of his road to school, which happens to traverse some 

 lonely swamp reputed to be the haunt of a wild cat, with especial 

 aversion ; he treads softly, breathes deeply, and looks around him 

 most suspiciously, expecting every moment to be pounced upon by 

 a savage with claws and teeth of unknown length and sharpness; 

 as he draws near the opening upon the far side, his heels involun- 

 tarily become much lighter, and not unfrequently the dreaded 

 passage terminates in a nimble run, until some safer spot is gained. 

 In after years he learns that this dread of an enemy may be 

 classed among the " lost fears," and like, many of the brighter 

 fancies of childhood, without foundation. There appears to be no 

 well authenticated instance of an attack by the wild cat upon any 

 animal larger than a lamb or a young pig. 



Audubon states that this animal *' is fond of swampy retired 

 situations, as well as the wooded sides of hills, and is still seen 

 occasionally in that portion of the Alleghany Mountains which 

 traverses the States of Pennsylvania and New York. It is abun- 

 dant in the cane brakes bordering the lakes, rivers, and lagoons 

 of Carolina, Louisiana, and other southern and south-western 



