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CHAPTER II. 



The Lynx in Norway. Difference of Species. Hunting the Lynx in 

 Norway. Its Habits. Its Ferocity. Its Food. The Value of its 

 Skin. The Lynx and the Goat. The Farmer and the Lynx. An 

 Unpleasant Predicament. The Wild Cat in Norway. Sport and 

 English Sportsmen in Norway. Hints to Sportsmen. 



NATUKALISTS were for a long time of opinion that more 

 than one species of lynx was to be found in Norway, 

 and Pontoppidan speaks of the ulve-goupe, or wolf- 

 lynx ; of the roeve-goupe, or fox-lynx ; and of the katte- 

 goupe, or cat-lynx. Only one species is to be met 

 with in this country, and the mistake probably arose 

 from the fact that the Norwegian lynx varies in colour 

 according to the time of the year or its age. 



The lynx (Felis lynx), called in Norway goupe, was 

 formerly common in this country, but is now but rarely 

 found, except in the central parts, and not very often 

 there. It has, however, been killed in the neighbour- 

 hood of Chris tiania. In summer it abides in the 

 mountainous and wooded districts, lying close by day 

 in, some hole or crevice of a rock, and stealing forth 

 at night, with slow and stealthy tread, in search of its 

 prey. It is a savage and powerful brute, and as it is 



