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U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



brown, irregularly variegated with small spots of dark brown ; the tail is about two inches 

 long, and nearly white, except the extremity, which is black. It terminates abruptly, as if it 

 had been amputated ; the belly is white, and beautifully variegated with small black spots ; the 

 legs are of the same color with the sides, and the back is marked transversely with black stripes ; 

 the ears are black on the outside, covered with fine short hair, except at the upper point, which 

 is furnished with a pencil of hair, fine, straight, and black, three-fourths of an inch in length. 

 The hair of this animal is long and fine, far exceeding that of the wild cat of the United States, 

 but inferior in that quality to that of the bear of the northwest. The skin of this animal is in 

 great demand amongst the natives, for of this they form their robes, and it requires four to make 

 up the complement." 



In the description of color, character of fur, &c., this account agrees very closely with speci 

 mens before me, except that the spots of dark brown above are but slightly conspicuous. Several 

 specimens have one or both ears entirely black, as stated, and in all the usual white patch is 

 quite inconspicuous. The alleged shortness of the tail is easily accounted for by its contraction 

 or twisting in the skin examined by the authors. The greatest discrepancy exists in the remark 

 that " the back is marked transversely with black stripes." In the connexion of the paragraph 

 it is very evident that the back or inner sides of the legs .is understood, (which are so striped,) 

 as the back or upper surface of the body had already been described as reddish brown, irregu 

 larly varied with small spots of dark brown, (not striped transversely with black.) 



The name of Kafinesque was given under the impression that the back was striped transversely, 

 whence the name of fasciatus. As the term really applies to a part of the body, even though 

 the character is shared by most species of Lynx, it is best to retain it, and thus expunge a 

 synonym. Rafinesque himself never saw a specimen, but based his name on the description 

 quoted above. 



The Felis rufa of Richardson applies very well to this species, and is probably identical with 

 it. This author gives also Felis fasciata, from the description of Lewis & Clark, and sees a 

 close resemblance between the two ; interrupted, however, by the supposed transverse dorsal 

 stripes of the latter. As shown above, however, Lewis & Clark clearly referred to transverse 

 stripes on the back part of the leg, and not on the dorsal surface of the body. 



No specimens have thus far been received, except from the western portion of Washington 

 Territory. 



List of specimens. 



