OUNCE. LYNX. 73 



THE OUNCE. 



Though the ounce is frequently confounded with the 

 panther, it seldom exceeds three feet and a half in length ; 

 but its hair is longer, and its tail still more so in propor- 

 tion In colour it inclines to a cream, but is rather 

 whiter on the belly than towards the back. Its spots, 

 however, are disposed in a manner not unlike those of 

 the panther, except that they seem to run in stripes on 

 the haunches. 



This animal is a native of Barbary, Persia, and China ; 

 where it is sometimes trained to hunting, but it has by no 

 means so acute a scent as the dog. According to Taver- 

 nier, some of them are brought to such a degree of gentle- 

 ness as to suffer themselves to be handled and caressed. 

 The ounce seems to be much more generally diffused than 

 the panther. 



THE LYNX. 



This is the last animal of the feline race that I purpose 

 to notice here. The common lynx (for there are several 

 species) has a short tail black at the end, and long full 

 hair under the chin. The fur on the body is long and soft, 

 of a cinereous colour, tinged with red, and marked with 

 dusky spots, more or less distinct in different individuals. 

 The belly is whitish ; and the ears are erect, and tufted 

 with long black hairs : this last character is common to all 

 the varieties. The length of the body is upwards of four 

 feet ; the tail measures only six inches. 



This animal is found in Germany, in all the northern 

 regions of both continents, and in several of the warm cli- 

 mates. It appears, however, to prefer cold to temperate 

 countries, and generally varies in each. 



The ancients invented a variety of fables respecting the 

 lynx : particularly that its sight could penetrate the most 

 opaque bodies, and that its urine would petrify into a pre- 

 cious stone. The eye indeed of the lynx is very brilliant ; 

 its aspect is agreeable, and its air sprightly. It hunts for 



