*34] 
tion of its freedom only so long as 
it is allowed to wander about the 
house; all those which the Baron 
sent to the royal menagerie having 
soon died of excess of fat,-which 
was the case with that I saw there, 
and which also appeared extremely 
melancholy. The lynx of Abruzzo 
is unquestionably the most swift, 
subtle, and audacious beast of prey 
in Italy. It only wanders about in 
the night, and never is seen in the 
day, unless when in heat, or in 
search of provision forits young. It 
feeds upon all kinds of mice, moles, 
martins, ferrets, hares, badgers, ot- 
ters, and even sheep and goats ; nei- 
ther are tame and wild fowl safe 
from its attacks. It watches for its 
prey, either upon the ground, or 
between the branches of a tree, and 
usually seizes it at the very first 
spring, even though it be on full 
speed; and from its ambuscade 
amongst the branches it successfully 
darts upon birds that are upon the 
wing. When it has killed such a 
large animal asawild boar, or a roe- 
buck, it first sucks the blood out of 
the arteries, which scems tobe its 
favourite food; after which it de- 
vours the soft parts of the head, 
neck, shoulders, and legs, together 
with the entrails, and leaves the 
yemainder. When it fails in pro- 
curing a live animal, it contents it- 
‘self with vegetables, or gratifies it- 
self with all kinds of fruit. Its fa- 
vourite place of abode is amongst 
thick and extensive forests, and in 
solitary districts, where it makes its 
retreat in hollow trees, or in holes 
and cleftsin the rocks. It pairs 
only once a year, at the beginning 
of spring ; and contrary to the cus- 
tom of cats, which celebrate their 
Ruptials wit hideous cries, it re- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1795. 
mains perfectly silent. The female 
goes two months, and then brings 
forth two young ones, which are 
generally of different sexes. She 
suckles them during two months ; 
and the young ones require two 
years to grow and be fit for pairing. 
It has been observed here that the 
lynx generally attains the age of 
twenty years. Sociability apper- 
tdins not to its qualities, and more 
than one couple are rarely found 
in adistrict. Like all creatures up- 
on earth, this also has its enemies, 
and is pursued by men, dogs, wolves, 
and large snakes. Flight isits first 
object; but when it is deprived of 
the means of escape, and is attacked 
and wounded, it defends itself 
against every description of enemy, 
with such fury and dexterity, that it 
is seldom overcome but by numbers 
of beasts, or the superiority of hu- 
man sagacity. The lynx not only 
feeds occasionally upon the bodies 
of dead men, but even attacks 
children and deyours them. ‘This 
animal is seldom to be taken alive, 
except whilst very young, when it 
is frequently found playing upon 
the grass near the trees, or straying 
about the country in quest of its 
mother. It is sometimes taken in 
traps, but is generally shot. The 
attachment subsisting between acou- 
ple is remarkable ; “for, when one 
lies dead upon the ground, and the 
hunters have retired to a certain 
distance, the other approaches ils 
comrade, looks at.it, goes round it, 
lies down by it, goes away, and 
returns several times; until it ap- 
pears to have lost all hopes of its 
being only asleep, ~ The lynx fur- 
nishes man with a very warm and 
useful skin ; and some profit arises 
from its fat and gall. 
USE. 
