270 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA [No. 55 



one was surprised eating a rabbit on the side of Mount Chintimini, 

 but the cat disappeared so suddenly that it left the warm and bleed- 

 ing rabbit in the trail. Owing to the dense cover, their highly con- 

 cealing coloration, and secretive habits, they are rarely seen alive 

 except when treed by dogs or caught in traps. Their tracks are 

 occasionally seen in trails or on sandy beaches, and the fur of a 

 rabbit or feathers of a bird often show where they have dined in the 

 forest. They are primarily hunters of small game, from mice and 

 small birds to rabbits and game birds, but do not hesitate to kill 

 sheep and deer when hunger demands and opportunity offers. They 

 climb trees readily and quickly take refuge in the tops when chased 

 by dogs. Only when trapped or cornered will they fight, and while 

 no match for a good-sized hunting dog they will severely punish 

 with teeth and claws any dog so rash as to attack them. 



Breeding habits. The young, as shown by examination of preg- 

 nant females caught in spring, range in number from 3 to 6, and 

 are generally born in April or May. They are kept in hollow logs, 

 trees, or among the rocks until old enough to follow the mother and 

 take part in the hunt. The male apparently a,ssumes no responsi- 

 bility in the family affairs. 



Food habits. Stomachs examined by predatory-animal hunters 

 have been found to contain remains of red squirrels, gray squirrels, 

 snowshoe rabbits, brush rabbits, deer, sheep, and blue grouse. The 

 bobcats' droppings along the trails often contain mouse hair, bones 

 of gophers, Aplodontia, and feathers of birds. Generally the 

 animals are able to catch plenty of game, which they prefer .fresh 

 and warm, but at times they will eat cold meat when used as trap 

 bait. More often they are attracted to traps by tufts of rabbit or 

 squirrel fur, or by bird feathers hung above or scattered about the 

 traps. 



Economic status. Besides the sheep and poultry killed by these 

 invisible prowlers, the small game suffers severely wherever they are 

 numerous, and they occasionally kill even deer, especially fawns. 

 The extent of damage depends on their abundance, which is best 

 shown by State records. From October 1, 1913, to December 31, 

 1914, a $1 bounty each was paid on 5,425 bobcats ; these included 327 

 in Douglas County, 271 in Coos County, 269 in Jackson County, 258 

 in Lane County, 139 in Lincoln County, 121 in Clatsop County, 111 

 in Josephine County, 101 in Clackamas County, 97 in Tillamook 

 County, 86 in Columbia County, 78 in Linn County, 68 in Curry 

 County, 38 in Washington County, 21 in Yamhill County, 20 in 

 Multnomah County, and 19 in Benton County (Oreg. Sportsman 3 

 (2): 40, 1915). ^ 



The destruction of mice, pocket gophers, chipmunks, ground 

 squirrels, and mountain beavers affords an important check on over- 

 abundance of these rodents, while the .fur value of the bobcat skins 

 taken each year by hunters and trappers brings considerable money 

 into the State. When the high prices of fur have prevailed the re- 

 duction of these, as other fur-bearing animals, has been evident, but 

 during low prices they increase and in areas where sheep are raised 

 and there is relatively little trapping, it has been necessary to keep 

 hunters employed all the year to reduce the number of such preda- 



