THE LYNX 



{Felts lynx) 



THE Lynx, the only large feline animal now found wild in Europe, is 

 an imposing-looking beast, though it does not grow large enough to 

 rank as one of the great Cats not exceeding a moderate-sized Dog. 



Its characteristic points are its remarkably short tail and the long 

 tufts of hair at the ends of its ears ; it is also a short-bodied, leggy 

 animal compared with most of the Cats. The eyes have a circular 

 pupil, and are light in colour. The coat of the Northern Lynx is 

 heavy and thick, especially in winter, when it is less spotted and greyer 

 in colour than in summer, but Lynxes vary a good deal both in tint 

 and spotting, both individually and locally; the Himalayan Lynx, for 

 instance, is almost without spots at all in winter. 



As there seems good reason to consider the unspotted Canadian 

 Lynx or "Lucivee" as a mere local race of the Northern Lynx of 

 Europe and Asia, this Cat may be said to range all round the world, 

 a distinction unique in the family. Indeed, it would not be straining 

 matters much to include the Spotted Lynx (Felis pardind) of Southern 

 Europe and the Bay Lynx (Felis rufci) of the United States as local 

 races also; they chiefly differ from the Northern Lynx, as might be 

 expected in more southern races, in being shorter-coated and having 

 redder fur with more distinct spots. The former is the animal which 

 the ancients regarded as sacred to Bacchus, and the latter is the 

 "bobcat" or "wild cat" of American writers. 



The Lynx inhabits forests or mountainous districts ; it is an animal 

 of considerable all-round abilities in spite of its leggy build, it is a 

 good climber, and often lies in wait for its prey in a tree, springing on 

 it from some distance with great rapidity, so that it can capture even 

 birds so active as Pigeons, while the clumsier Game-birds, such as 

 Grouse, naturally fall an easy prey. It travels fast and far on the 



