192 



THE STORY OF THE LYNX. 



In Ladak, where the lynx is a rare animal, but seldom seen by Europeans, 

 its chief food appears to consist of the blue hares which occur in swarms in 

 many of the higher valleys. One summer when shooting at a high elevation 

 near Hanle, in Spiti, I suddenly came upon a female lynx w^ith two cubs. I 

 shot the mother, and as the cubs concealed themselves among some rocks, I 

 barricaded them in, and went on with my hunting. On arriving in camp, I 

 sent back men to try and catch the cubs; in this they succeeded, and brought 

 them back to me. They were alxiut the size of half-grown cats, and more 



THE CARACAL OR DESERT LYNX. 



spiteful, vicious little devils cannot be imagined; they were, however, very 

 handsome, with immense heads and paws. For two or three days they re- 

 fused all food, but at the end of that time they fed quite ravenously from the 

 hand. 



The Canada lynx is a native of North America, and is remarkable for 

 its gait. Its method of progression is by bounds from all four feet at once, 

 with the back arched. It feeds principally on the American hare, as it is not 

 courageous enough to attack the larger quadrupeds. Its length is about three 



