THE COUOAH AND LYNXES. 137 



reddish hue, and a shorter aud coarser fur. "With this ex- 

 ception, both look remarkably alike — so much so, in fact, 

 that an amateur naturalist would consider them to be the 

 same species, and would attribute their different hue of 

 coating to age, habitat, or the season of the year. An 

 adult frequently attains a length of thirty-four inches, ex- 

 clusive of the tail, which is about seven inches, and a 

 height at the fore-shoulder of sixteen inches. Both varie- 

 ties or species inhabit the same character of country, being 

 generally found in the wooded borders of plains or valleys. 

 If captured young, they soon learn to know the person who 

 feeds them, and become somewhat attached to him ; but 

 they are such inveterate thieves, and so destructive to poul- 

 try, that they can only be kept in strong cages from which 

 there is no possibility of escape, else they would soon prove 

 most costly pets. 



They resent the friendly advances of all strangers by 

 humping up their back, depressing their ears, showing 

 their teeth, and spitting fiercely, and should one approach 

 too closely, they would even fly at him. As they make 

 raids on the farm-yard occasionally, the farmers resort to 

 poison to get rid of them, and not a few fall victims to the 

 rifle or shot-gun. I killed four in one month in Washing- 

 ton Territory with the aid of dogs, and I never experienced 

 any trouble from them — probably for the very excellent 

 reason that I did not place myself in their way until they 

 were rendered harmless. Cat-hunts are very popular with 

 some persons, and especially those who have good dogs, as 

 there is generally a fight and its accompanying wounds; 

 but the result is in nearly all cases detrimental to the physi- 

 cal welfare of the bob-tailed feline. I can enjoy one on a 

 moonlight night when I am with a jolly party and accom- 

 panied by a good pack, as it is full of quiet excitement, and 

 frequently of ludicrous incidents ; but it cannot, in my esti- 

 mation, equal a bear or cougar hunt, and it cannot approach 

 the bounding sensations produced by a dash after the fleet- 

 footed stag when he is going at a view halloo pace. 



