CAT FAMILY 



155 



CANADA LYNX 

 Lynx canadensis Kerr 



General Description. — A stout-bodied, long-legged 

 cat about tbe size of a good-sized cocker spaniel. 

 Ears prominent, tufted; fur dense and long; feet very 

 large ; claws sharp and strong ; tail very short and 

 blunt ; legs very long giving animal a grotesque appear- 

 ance; a ruff of long hairs on sides of head. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, ^^ ; Canines, -^^ ; 



i—3 ' I— I 



Premolars, ^- ; Molars, -— = 28. 

 2— J I— I 



Pelage. — Adults : Sexes similar. Seasonal varia- 

 tion not conspicuous, color in wuiter paler and grayer 

 than in summer. General color light gray more or less 

 grizzled with brown, darker on the head and back 

 where the long hairs are black with occasional white 

 tips; belly and throat grayish white; ears behind, black 

 with central spot of whitish ; ear tufts brownish black 

 usually more than an inch and a half long; black spots 

 at corners of mouth ; black bars on ruff at sides of 

 head, and black tip on tail ; a few dusky spots on inside. 



Measurements. — Length, 36 inches ; tail, 4 inches ; 

 hind foot, 9' J inches. Male rather larger than female. 

 Weight of male, 25 to 40 pounds. 



Range. — Boreal America from the latitude of 

 Maine to 60° N.. and from Atlantic to Pacific Oceans. 



Food. — .'^ny mammal that it can kill, and birds. 



Remarks. — The Canada Lynx need be confused 

 with no other of the North American Cats, with the 

 possible exception of its very near relative, the Bay 

 Lyn.x or Wild Cat, because of its long legs, large paws, 

 bobbed tail and tufted ears. From the Bay Lynx it may 

 be distinguished by its unringed tail, tufted ears and 

 larger size as well as less prominent color differences. 

 This group has been separated into three varieties. 



Rel.\ted Species 



Canada Lynx. — /.y".r canadensis canadensis Kerr. 

 Typical animal as described above. Boreal North 

 America from latitude of Maine to 60° N., and from 

 .'Atlantic to Pacific Oceans, possibly only south of 

 Alaska. 



Alaska Lynx. — Lyn.r cjmadensis niollif'ilosus Stone. 

 Browner in color, otherwise like Canada Lynx. Alaska. 



Newfoundland Lynx. — Lynx suhsolanus Bangs. 

 Size of Canada Lynx, but darker. Newfoundland. 



By permission of the New York Zoological Society 



CANADA LYNX 

 One of the handsomest of the Cats, and also exceedingly active and muscular. Note the enormous fore paw 



