ORDER CARNIVORA: CARNIVORES 259 



Rosenbachtal in Carinthia. In 1926 two specimens were killed in 

 the district of Volkermarkt, Carinthia. In Lower Austria the last 

 one was killed in 1912. The species is no longer found in Salzburg. 

 In the Tyrol 26 specimens are said to have been shot in 1876. By 

 1888 it was almost exterminated in northern Tyrol, but was con- 

 sidered more frequent in southern Tyrol. In Vorarlberg it was 

 reported as late as 1918, but has now disappeared. (G. Schlesinger, 

 in Hit., March, 1937.) 



Within the boundaries of the present Hungary it was common 

 before World War I, but is now decreasing. It has no legal pro- 

 tection. It is also found in the northern part of the former Hungary 

 (now Czechoslovakia) , but not together with the Lynx. ( J. Schenk, 

 in Hit., November, 1936.) 



In comparison with its status in most other parts of Europe, 

 the Wildcat is comparatively common in Yugoslavia. Considerable 

 numbers are found only in certain regions, and especially in the 

 enormous oak forests of Slavonia. The statistics are uncertain, 

 since they probably include hybrids and feral Domestic Cats. The 

 reported annual kill from 1891 to 1921 was about 500 to 1,000 

 specimens, reaching a maximum of 1,207 in 1904. The minimum 

 kills were 420 in 1918 and 331 in 1931. These figures pertain chiefly 

 to Croatia and Slavonia. (M. Hirtz, in litt., December, 1936.) In 

 northwestern Croatia the animal is rare near Jasenak and near 

 Otocac (Wettstein, 1928, p. 35). 



Lord Lilford wrote of frequently meeting with Wildcats in the 

 Province of Epirus, near the boundary between Albania and Greece 

 (Hamilton, 1896, p. 35). 



The Wildcat is found throughout Greece except on the islands. 

 A decrease has been observed, but there is no danger of extermina- 

 tion. (Game Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Greece, in litt., 

 October, 1936.) (The Wildcat of the Peloponnesus is discussed on 

 a subsequent page, under the name of Felis silvestris morea.) 



Turkey is included in the range by Blasius (1857, p. 166). 



In Bulgaria the Wildcat occurs in considerable numbers and is 

 in no danger of extermination. The skins are marketed locally. 

 (Bulgarian Game Association "Sokol," in litt., February, 1937.) 

 H. W. Shoemaker (in litt., June 30, 1932) is of the opinion that 

 the Wildcats in this country are being rapidly destroyed. 



The species is common in Rumania, occurring in nearly all forests 

 of greater or lesser altitude; it is also frequently found in the 

 lowland forests (District of Ilfoo) and in the flood lands of the 

 Danube (Calinescu, 1930, p. 366). 



In Poland it occurred formerly from the Carpathians to the 

 Baltic but is now met with chiefly in the eastern Carpathians; it 

 is also found in the forests along the Dniester (Zurawno, Stanis- 



