1'HB CARACAL* 



Felis caracal LINN.* us. 



PLATS XXX. 



Lc Caracal, Buffon. Fdlis Caracal, Linn&us. Temminck^ 

 Desmarest. 



WITH this animal we shall enter the group of 

 Lynxes, the first division of which have more slen- 

 der bodies, lengthened tails, and long ears, furnished 

 with a tuft of hair at the tips. This latter charac- 

 ter we should consider somewhat inconstant, and 

 only present in spring, or at the commencement of 

 the breeding season, like those adorning the ears of 

 many squirrels. 



The Caracal has always been considered to be the 

 lynx mentioned by the ancients as possessing such 

 wonderful power of sight. It is a native of Southern 

 India and of Africa, no difference being perceptible 

 among the specimens which have been received from 

 these countries. Lynxes were said to have been 

 kept and trained for hunting, like the hunting-leo- 

 pard, by the sovereigns of the East ; but, in modern 

 times, no trace of this property can be found, at least 

 in the present animal ; and indeed the character of 

 all is great irritability in confinement, and a mis- 



