90 FELIDjE. 



rufous tinge, towards the roots the hairs are brownish ; the tips or* 

 the longer hairs are white, some black tips being often intermixed 

 on the back. Terminal portion of the tail black. Ears outside 

 grey, with the margins, tip, and terminal tuft black. Some black 

 hairs are intermixed with the ruff, and, in some cases, there is an im- 

 perfect dark band across the throat. There are sometimes blackish 

 or black spots on the belly. 



The Tibetan lynx was distinguished by Blyth as F. isabellina on 

 account of its pale colour and of the hair on the toes being shorter. 

 Both these differences are probably due to the Tibetan lynx living 

 in open ground amongst rocks, whilst the common lynx of Europe 

 dwells chiefly in forests. The lynx of Gilgit, where there is some 

 forest, is intermediate in coloration ; and I can find no constant 

 character of importance by which F. isabellina is distinguishable 

 from the common lynx. Some skins procured by Hodgson from 

 Tibet are undistinguishable from Gilgit and Turkestan specimens. 



Dimensions. Head and body 33 inches, tail 7| ; weight about 

 60 Ibs. In a skull, the basal length is 4-6 inches, zygomatic 

 breadth 4. 



Distribution. Found in the Upper Indus valley, Gilgit, Ladak, 

 Tibet, &c., also throughout Asia north of the Himalayas, and 

 Europe north of the Alps. 



Habits. The lynx is found in Gilgit at heights above 5000 feet, 

 but occurs at a great elevation in Tibet, Captain Kinloch having 

 shot a female and captured the cubs near Hanle when hunting 

 Ovis hodysoni, which does not descend below 14,000 or 15,000 feet 

 in summer. In Tibet, as in Europe, this species has the character 

 of being extremely bloodthirsty and savage. Scully mentions that 

 a pair of them killed six sheep in one night near Gilgit. Lynxes 

 prey on birds and on all mammals that they are able to kill, from 

 goats to mice ; but the stories told of their attacks upon animals 

 the size of red-deer, Cervus elaphus, are scarcely credible. The 

 keenness of sight and hearing in the lynx have long been famous ; 

 the animal is well known to be an excellent climber, and to lie in 

 wait for his prey on trees. Lynxes have two or three young at a 

 time, and usually hide them in caves and holes amongst rocks. 

 The young are born with the eyes not opened. Young animals 

 are easily tamed. 



Genus CYKELURUS, Wagler, 1830. 



The claws only partially retractile, always remaining partly ex- 

 posed. Limbs longer than in any true cats. Body slender. Skull 

 with the infraorbital foramen on each side very small, and fre- 

 quently represented by two or more foramina. Inner lobe of the 

 upper flesh-tooth quite rudimentary. 



The only species generally admitted is C. jubatus ; a peculiar 

 form, with woolly hair and pale spots, from South Africa, has been 

 distinguished as C. laneus (Fclis lanea, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 532), 



