grab, their eyes half shut to deceive the fish, 



and their whiskers just touching and playing 



with the surface. Their general color blends ^^^^ ^ 



with that of their surroundings and hides 



them perfectly. The trout, noticing the 



slight crinkling of the water where the long 



whiskers touch it, but not separating the 



crouching animal from the log or rock 'on 



which he rests, rise to the surface, as is their 



wont when feeding, and are snapped out by 



a lightning sweep of the paws. 



Whether this be so or not I am not sure. 

 The raccoon undoubtedly catches crabs and 

 little fish in this way; and I have sometimes 

 surprised cats both wildcats and Canada 

 lynxes, as well as domestic tabbies with their 

 heads down close to the water, so still that they 

 seemed part of the log or rock on which they 

 crouched. Once I tried for five minutes to 

 make a guide see a big lynx that was lying 

 on a root in plain sight within thirty yards of 

 our canoe, while the guide assured me in a 

 whisper that he could see perfectly and that 

 it was only a stump. Then, hearing us, the 

 lynx rose, stared, and leaped for the brush. 



