2IO CAKNIVOKA. 



The tur in tlio colder regions, sueli as North Cicrnianv anil parts of 

 Russia, becomes very lonj; and thick. 



The wild-cat is not found in nenin.uk. Sweden or Xorwav. nor in 

 Northern Russia, wiiere tlie lynx t.ikes its place. In Cierni.inv it in- 

 habits all the well-wooded centr.d nunnitain regions, such as tin- liar/, 

 tlie Thurinjiian, lioheniian and Black I'orests. .mkI the mountains of 

 Upper Hesse. From these head-quarters tlu- wild-cats pass from wood 

 to wood in the plains, and it is probable tiiat they mioht be tound in 

 such localities much oftener than one tancies. In l-!ngland it is almost 

 extinct, but it still lingers in the North o[ Scotland and in Ireland, in 

 which last country it bears the name of the " Hunting Cat." It is very 

 common in Southeastern Europe, from the Alps to the Black Sea and 

 tiie tViMitiers of Asia. But it does not pass the limits of Europe, and 

 has ne\er been caught south o( tlie Caucasus. It loves dense .ind 

 lonely forests, especially selecting rocky localities, as the crags and 

 boidders turnish it with safe shelter: it often occupies hollow trees, and 

 does not despise to take up its abode in the hole of the badger or the 

 den of the to\. 



At night the wild-cat sallies out on his foray, and anv one who has ob- 

 served the sly, stealthy, silent way in wiiich the common cat hunts birds, 

 can form a good notion of its actions, and judge how it climbs into the 

 nests of the birds, pounces on the liare on its form or the rabbit sporting 

 near its burrow. But it attacks even voung t.iwns. and kills them, leap- 

 ing on their back and biting the veins oi the neck: while it is most de- 

 structive to dovecots and hen-roosts, where it kills manv more than it 

 can eat. When driven to extremity cir wounded the wild-cat is a 

 dangerous foe for dog or man. A Cierm;ui forester tracked one into a 

 hollow tree, and struck the trunk to start it out again. While he was 

 hammering away the cat appeared ; before he could raise his gun it was 

 on his back, tore oft his thick leathern cap with its claws, and bit 

 through his neckerchief. His cries brought his son to his assistance, but 

 the cat held on to its victim till its head was broken in. In spite of every 

 care the forester died in great agony. An English sportsman wlio 

 attacked a wild-cat in Scotland, writes: "As soon as 1 was within six 

 or seven feet of the place, she sprang straight at mv face, over the dogs" 

 heads. Had 1 not struck her in mid-air as she leaped at me. I should 

 probably liave got some severe wound. As it was. she fell with her back 

 half broken amongst the dogs. who. with mv assistance, dispatched her. 



