NATURAL HISTORY. 297 



veal ; and Charlevoix and others have compared it to 

 mutton. It is hardly credible, however, from the 

 above circumstances, that it can be well tasted ; and 

 therefore I prefer the testimony of Desmarchais, who 

 says, that the best thing about this animal is his skin, 

 with which they make housings for horses, and that 

 its flesh is of no value, being generally lean and of a 

 disagreeable flavour. 



THE LYXX. 



THE lynx is an animal more commonly found in 

 cold than in temperate climates ; and is at least very 

 rare in hot ones. It was known to the Greeks and 

 the Latins. Pliny says, that the first which were 

 seen in Rome were brought, in the time of Pompey, 

 from Gaul.- At present they are not seen in France, 

 a few perhaps ezcepted, belonging to the Alpine and 

 Pyrenean mountains. But the Romans, under the 

 name of Gaul, comprehended several northern coun- 

 tries ; and, besides, modern France is far from being 

 so cold as ancient Gaul was formerly. 



Vol. I. O o 



