246 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



means what is here called the "California Lion." The 

 animal belongs to the feline family, grows as large as a 

 powerful dog, has a more slender figure, and an immense 

 long tail. Its color is a dirty, yellowish grey, and it is 

 anything but handsome. Though large, it is one of the 

 least dangerous of the wild animals; it is so shy and 

 timid, that the hunter finds it a difficult matter to get a 

 shot at it, and is seldom found on this side of the Sierra 

 Nevada, but it is quite numerous on the eastern side, 

 which is steeper and more inaccessible, and in the adjoin- 

 ing desert. 



There is another beast of prey here, also belonging to 

 the feline family, which, though smaller than the Cali- 

 fornia lion, is much more dangerous. It is the catamount, 

 or the mountain cat. I have not yet had an opportunity 

 of seeing one, but I have been told that these animals 

 are exceedingly ferocious, hiding in trees and between 

 rocks, attacking men by jumping from there on their 

 victims. They are numerous and mostly found in the 

 deep ravines of the Sierra Nevada. 



Another animal of prey belonging to this class, and met 

 with quite often, is the common wild-cat, which resem- 

 bles the domestic cat, but is larger, stronger and very 

 savage. 



The most numerous of the animals of prey, and at the 

 same time the least dangerous of all, is the coyote, the 

 California wolf. In shape and color he resembles a fox, 

 only he is larger. Hundreds of them are often found to- 

 gether, and they are so timid, that they will never go 

 near a man. But I doubt, if it would be safe for a man 

 to get into a band of hungry coyotes ; they are good sized, 

 strong beasts. But if we can not see them in the daytime, 

 we can hear them howl every night, when they are out 

 on their marauding expeditions. 



The worst customer to meet however is the grizzly— 

 the great California bear— a perfect monster. I have 

 seen one in a cage, which measured, standing on his hind 

 feet, 11 feet G inches ; twice as high as a man. I have 

 never before seen or heard of anything like it, and have 



