THE WILD CAT. 



{Lynx rufus.) 



C. C. M. 



THE species of lynx found in for- 

 ests in the United States is the 

 red or bay lynx. Its popular 

 name is wild cat, but it is a true 

 lynx, with the ear tufts characteristic of 

 that group, and differs from the other 

 members of it principally in the color 

 of its fur. It is a resident of every part 

 of the United States from ocean to 

 ocean. The general color is usually 

 red, but darker, and sometimes nearly 

 black along the backbone, while under 

 the body it is whitish and on the breast 

 pure white. The entire fur, except the 

 breast, is covered with spots and streaks 

 of darker fur. The length of the body 

 and head is about fifty-three inches and 

 the tail is six inches long. The color 

 of the fur is of a brighter red in sum- 

 mer and a darker brownish-red in win- 

 ter. Different writers have classified 

 several species of the American lynx, 

 including the Texas lynx, which is 

 found in Texas, and southern Cali- 

 fornia; the Oregon lynx, which inhabits 

 northern Oregon and Washington. 

 There is also a Florida lynx. It is be- 

 lieved there is not much justification 

 for these divisions, which Brehm says 

 are based principally upon the differ- 

 ent markings of the fur, and that in a 

 general way it may be said that the 

 specimens obtained from southern cli- 

 mates have shorter fur, which is more 

 brightly colored and more distinctly 

 spotted than those from the northern 

 regions; but otherwise these animals do 

 not differ in their habits and character- 

 istics, which are those of the lynx group 

 in general. 



The natural home of the wild cat is a 

 dense forest abounding in deep thick- 

 ets and game. It rarely seeks sparsely- 

 wooded sections. Sometimes it will 

 hunt the hare even on the plain, and a 

 prairie fire will drive it to the neigh- 

 borhood of settlements. It is capable 

 of great endurance in walking, can leap 



an astonishing distance, climbs well, and 

 is said to be a good swimmer. Its sense 

 of hearing is very acute, and its sight 

 keen. It is a night-prowler, hiding at 

 the dawn of day, and remaining still 

 until evening. The wild cat selects for 

 its lair a deep thicket, a cavern, or hole 

 in a tree trunk. 



As the shades of evening fall, says 

 Brehm, it becomes active. During the 

 day it seems as rigid as a statue, but at 

 night it sets out, and on the first part of 

 its journey makes frequent pauses, like 

 those made by the domestic cat pre- 

 vious to entering an enclosure that ap- 

 pears to threaten danger. Only a very 

 inexperienced person could mistake the 

 spoor of the lynx for that of any other 

 animal. The imprint is very deep ow- 

 ing to the strength of the paw, which 

 exceeds that of a large wolf. It is 

 very round and, as the claws are hid- 

 den, it is blunt in front. The pace is 

 short compared with the size of the 

 imprints made. The spoor takes a 

 form something like that of a row of 

 pearls; any one who has once seen it 

 is sure to recognize it again. 



The wild cat seems clumsy; its body 

 is heavy, but it possesses the agility of 

 its kind and surpasses them in rapidity 

 of movement and endurance. Almost 

 all animus and birds are its prey, 

 although only the strongest lynx will 

 attack deer. In temperate climates it is 

 detested by the farmer and sportsman 

 as it kills more than it needs, for its 

 -sustenance, often merely lapping the 

 blood of its victim, and eating only the 

 choicest portions. In the south it will 

 not return a second time to this food, 

 but in the north, where game is scarce, 

 it always returns, remaining near the 

 carcass until it is all eaten. 



The wild cat has been tamed but it 

 has not been found to be a very attrac- 

 tive animal to handle when angry. 

 Loewis gives the following report of a 



230 



