442 



enable us to record this decidedly uorthein auiiiial as 

 a rare inhabitant of our forested areas. 



From repeated interviews with hunters and woods- 

 men it is learned that the Catamount is very generally 

 believed to be a wholly different species from the Wild- 

 cat. However, on questioning these persons closely, I 

 find that size is about the only distinctive point they 

 can call to mind to support their claim, and all large- 

 sized cats are denominated "Catamounts," and, on the 

 other hand, the smaller ones are termed wild or "bob" 

 cats. 



ACQUIRE MOREi KNOWLEDGE. 



The indiscriminate employment of local names to 

 distinguish many of our birds and mammals, often- 

 times leads to much confusion; but, until the great 

 mass of our citizens become better acquainted with the 

 furred and feathered inliabitants, such errors are bound 

 to occur. In this connection it may be stated that, 

 through the wise effci'ts of our progressive and intelli- 

 gent State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. 

 N. 0. Schaeffer, and his able assistants, much good 

 work has been done to create a popular interest in zoo- 

 logical study throughout the Common schools of the 

 State. If Dr. Schaeffer's ideas are carried out, as they 

 should and doubtless will be, the time will soon come 

 when our school children will be readily able to rec- 

 ognize and speak intelligently of at least the common 

 birds and mammals which they see about the parks 

 and gardens, and in the fields and forests, 



THE WILDCATS FAVORITE HAUNTS. 



The Wildcat inhabits forests, rocky ledges and 

 briary thickets, but its favorite place is in old slashing* 



