THE DOMESTIC CAT AND THE COMMON LYNX, 



63 



resents the tail of the Wild Cat, which is much shorter and more 

 bushy. 



In the eyes of any one who nas really examined and can support the 

 character of the Domestic Cat, she must appear to be a sadly calum- 

 niated creature. She is generally 

 contrasted with the dog, much to 

 her disfavor. His docility, affec- 

 tionate disposition, and forgiveness 

 of injuries, his trustworthy cha- 

 racter, and his wonderful intel- 

 lectual powers, are spoken of, as 

 truly they deserve, with great en- 

 thusiasm and respect. But these 

 amiable traits of character are 

 brought into violent contrast with 

 sundry ill-conditioned qualities ^he Cat {Feli, domesiica). 



which are attributed to the Cat, and wrongly so. The Cat is held up 

 to reprobation as a selfish animal, seeking her own comfort and disre- 

 gardful of others, attached only to localities, and bearing no real affec- 

 tion for her owners. She is said to be sly and treacherous, hiding her 

 talons in her velvety paws as long as she is in a good temper, but ready 

 to use them upon her best friends if she is crossed in her humors. 



Whatever may have been the experience of those who gave so slan- 

 derous a character to the Cat, my own rather wide acquaintance with 

 this animal has led me to very different conclusions. The Cats with 

 which I have been most familiar have been as docile, tractable, and 

 good-tempered as any dog could be, and displayed an amount of in- 

 tellectual power \Yhich would be equalled by very few dogs, and sur- 

 passed by none. 



Returning once more to the savage tribe of animals, we come to a 

 small but clearly-marked group of Cats, which are distinguishaLle from 

 their feline relations by the sharply-pointed erect ears, decorated with 

 a tuft of hair of varying dimensions. These animals are popularly 

 known by the title of Lynxes. In all the species the tail is rather 

 short, and in some, such as the Peeshoo, or Canada Lynx, it is ex- 

 tremely abbreviated. 



By name, if not by sight, the Common Lynx of Europe is familiar 

 to us, and is known as the type of a quick-sighted animal. The eyes 

 of "the Lynx and the ears of the " Blind Mole" are generally placed on 

 a par with each other as examples of especial acuteness of either sense. 



The European Lynx is spread over a great portion of the Conti- 

 nent, being found in a range of country which extends from the Pyre- 

 nees to Scandinavia. It is also found in the more northern forests of 

 Asia. 



