WILD CAT. 223 



clusively to the destruction of the woods which formed 

 its resort ; but rather, in many parts, to the introduction 

 of the fowling-piece in place of the primitive means of 

 destruction known to our forefathers : for, although it 

 was formerly considered a beast of chase, yet the "great 

 facility with which it climbs trees, and could thus escape 

 from the pursuit of the Dogs, must have much restricted 

 the extent of its destruction ; but in the present day, 

 when such shifts will no longer avail, it falls so surely 

 before the gun of the gamekeeper or the forester, as to 

 threaten its extermination at no very remote period. 



The strength and fierceness of this species are such as 

 to render it an adventure of no trifling annoyance, and 

 even of some danger, to come into close quarters with 

 it, especially when exasperated by a wound. It is no 

 pleasant affair to encounter an enraged male Cat even of 

 the domestic race ; the strength and sharpness of his 

 claws, and the length and power of his canine teeth, 

 combined with a fierceness and rage which render such 

 weapons doubly formidable, constitute him an opponent 

 of no ordinary importance : but the Wild Cat is still 

 more to be dreaded, from the greater size, power, and 

 ferocity by which it is characterized. Hence Pennant 

 designates it as the " British Tiger." 



The female is considerably smaller than the male. 

 She forms her nest either in hollow trees, or more com- 

 monly and more safely in the clefts of rocks ; and has 

 even been known, as Sir William Jardine says, to usurp 

 the nest of some large bird as her own. She usually 

 brings four or five young. 



The Wild Cat is found throughout the whole of those 

 countries of Europe in which extensive forests exist, 

 especially in Germany, and in all the wooded climates of 

 Russia, Hungary, and of the north of Asia ; these are of 



