36 ZOOLOGY. 



FELIS CONCOLOK, Linn. 



The American Panther. 



Felis concolor, Linn. Mantissa, 1771, 522 ; pi. ii. 



Baird, Gen. Report Mammals, 1857, 83. 

 Sp. Ch. — Body considerably larger than that of the common sheep Tail more than half the length of head and body. 

 General color above, a uniform pale brownish-yellow, finely mottled by dark tips to all the hairs. Beneath, dirty white 

 A black patch on the upper lip, separated from the nose by a triangular white space. Convexity of ear black ; tip of tail 

 dusky. No spots or blotches on the body in the adult ; a few obsolete ones in the half-grown young. Kittens with the 

 body densely spotted and the tail ringed. 



The cougar is perhaps as common in California and Oregon as east of the mountains, and is 

 essentially the same animal. The specimens I saw varied considerably in color, but otherwise 

 there seemed to be no difference. A cougar which I saw and attempted to shoot, on Pit river, 

 was of a bright yellowish-red, much like that of the summer coat of the Virginia deer ; while a 

 large and beautiful one, kept caged in San Francisco, was of a light mouse-color, scarcely tinged 

 with red. 



This animal was entirely untameable, manifesting to his keeper, as well as to strangers, 

 unmitigated ferocity ; he was, however, as I believe all cougars are, very cowardly. The one I 

 saw on Pit river ran from us, and took refuge in a cliff of volcanic rock ; exhibiting as much 

 timidity as a hare. 



We saw their tracks nearly every day of our march, but only on one other occasion the animal. 

 A very large one was seen by a soldier, cautiously following the trail of our guide, who had 

 passed a short time before ; he was following by scent like a dog. 



LYNX KUFUS. 



American Wild Cat. 



Felis ruffa, Guldenstaedt, Nov. Comm. Petrop, XX, 1776, 499. 



Fells rufa, Schreber, Saugt. III. 1778, 412; pi. cix A (Rotliluclis in text.) 



Lynxntfus, Kaf. Am. Month. Mag. II, 1817, 46. 



Aud. & Bach. N. A. Quad. I, 1849, 2 ; pi i. 



Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 90. 



Sp. Ch. — Fur moderately full and soft. Above and on sides pale rufous, overlaid with greyish ; the latter color most 

 prevalent in winter. A few obsolete dark spots on the sides and indistinct longitudinal lines along the middle of the back. 

 Collar on the throat like sides, but much paler. Beneath, white spotted. Inside of fore and hind legs banded. Tail with 

 a small black patch above at the end, with indistinct subterminal half rings. Inner surface of ear black, with a white patch. 



'1 he wild cat is a very common animal in California and Oregon, and was killed or seen by 

 our party in a number of different and distant localities. In the immediate vicinity of San 

 Francisco, California, on the shores of San Francisco and San Pablo bays, wild cats abound, 

 frequenting the shore and subsisting on fish or water fowl. While shooting ducks and other 

 water birds about Benicia I several times saw them. At one time, while in a small boat floating 

 quietly along shore, in the straits of Carquines, on rounding a point we came suddenly upon a 

 lynx, which was walking along the beach picking up his breakfast. We were within twenty 

 yards of him, and the first intimation which he received of our presence was a full charge of 

 bird shot in the face and eyes. He seemed very much surprised at the salute, springing sud- 

 denly four or five feet into the air, and then with surprising agility scrambling up the almost 

 perpendicular face of the rocky wall bordering the straits, and before I could seize another gun, 

 lying in the bottom of the boat, he had disappeared in the bushes. 



