THE LYNX 445 



smaller deer fall, however, frequent victims to the lynx. Mr. Nattrass records a 

 crossbreed between the lynx and the domestic cat. 



"The lynx," he says, "is seldom hunted systematically, as are the deer, elk, 

 bear, and other game animals, unless it is by professional hunters or trappers, who 

 value him for his pelt. With them the usual method is to hunt him with dogs 

 trained to follow the trail by scent. In other cases his track is followed through 

 the snow, by the eye, by a party of hunters, who, when starting out, must be pre- 

 pared to make a long, hard tramp of many hours, or possibly several days. I have 

 known a party, who wanted a lynx badly, to follow the trail of one all day, return- 

 ing home as darkness set in. They returned to the hunt next morning, took up the 

 trail where they left it the night before, and followed it all day, and again the next 

 day, till they finally trailed the beast to its lair, treed, and shot it." 



The next form of the American lynxes is known indifferently as the 

 bay lynx, red cat, or American wild cat, and is the chat cervier of the 

 French Canadians, and the F. rufa of those zoologists who regard it entitled to rank 

 as a distinct species. In the typical form the fur is shorter and less abundant than 

 that of the Canada lynx, and is of a uniform reddish color, while the tail appears 

 to be more bushy. Its size is also somewhat inferior to that of the last-named kind. 

 There is, however, a handsomer spotted variety of the bay lynx occurring in Texas 

 and Southern California, which was formerly regarded as a distinct species (F. 

 matulata) ; and a second from Washington and Oregon, distinguished by vertical 

 dark streaks on the body, this variety having been named (F. fasriata) . Both 

 these are, however, now generally regarded as mere geographical races of the bay 

 lynx. 



In the Adirondacks the bay lynx is very rare, probably on account of the 

 climate being too severe for it, as it is far more common to the southward. "It 

 frequents rocky hills and ledges," writes Dr. Merriam, "and does not show that 

 antipathy to civilization so marked in its congener the [Canadian] lynx. In fact, 

 it is often quite common in thickly-settled portions of the state, and sometimes 

 proves of much annoyance to the farmer by carrying off lambs, little pigs, and 

 poultry, ducks, geese, turkeys, and chickens proving equally acceptable. Away 

 from the farmyard it feeds upon rabbits, squirrels, mice, grouse, and what small 

 birds it is fortunate enough to capture. It generally makes its nest in a hollow tree 

 or log, and lines it well with moss. From two to four young constitute a litter, the 

 most frequent number being three." Dr. Merriam mentions the extremely spiteful 

 disposition of the bay lynx, and adds, "I have eaten the flesh of the wild cat, and 

 can pronounce it excellent. It is white, very tender, and suggests veal more than 

 any other meat with, which I am familiar. ' ' 



The last of the American lynxes which the transatlantic naturalists now regard 

 as a distinct species, is the plateau lynx (F. baileyi). This form takes its name 

 from inhabiting the high plateau of Colorado, Utah, and Arizona ; and is said to 

 differ from the bay lynx in being uniformly paler above, and also by its shorter tail 

 and softer fur. The back is suffused with a buff tint, and the blackish marblings 

 found on the face and forehead of the bay lynx are wanting, while the black at the 

 tip of the tail occupies a smaller area than in the latter. There is also some differ- 



