252 The Wild Cat. 



him with a spring, commonly the branch of some tree bent down 

 for that purpose, and released by a trigger set at the entrance or 

 just within the trap. These traps are placed in different points 

 of the plantations, or in the woods, and the Wild Cat is generally 

 attracted by the crowing of the cock at the dawn of day." 



The Cats are often caught in this way, and they do PxOt therefore 

 seem to possess the cunning of the fox, enabling the latter to 

 avoid the traps set for racoons. Audubon and Bachman, from 

 whose work the above particulars are extracted, state that they have 

 seen this animal taken from the common log traps set for racoons, 

 and that they are often found in the steel traps baited and set for 

 otters. 



When this animal discovers a flock of wild turkeys he follows 

 them for a little distance, to ascertain their direction, and then 

 makes a rapid detour so as to get in front of them ; he then con- 

 ceals himself, and w^hen they have arrived within a convenient 

 distance springs into their midst, and seldom fails to secure one 

 of the number. 



When kept in confinement they shew their close relationship to 

 the common cat by purring and mewing loud enough to be 

 heard at some distance. They hunt both by night and by day. The 

 female makes a comfortable nest of dry moss and leaves in a 

 hollow log or tree, and there brings forth her young, from two to 

 four at a time. 



Audubon and Bachman state that " the geographical range of 

 this species is very extensive, it being found to inhabit portions of 

 the continent from the tropics as far north as 60 degrees. It 

 abounds in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and in both the 

 Carolinas, and is found in all the States east of these, and likewise 

 in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; we have seen it on the 

 shores of the Upper Missouri, more than a thousand miles above 

 St. Louis. We examined one that had been taken a few hours 

 before by some hunters in Erie County in the State of New York, 

 and have heard of its existing, although rather sparingly, in 

 Upper Canada, where it has been occasionally captured." 



