43 6 CARNIVORES. 



presence of the rudiment of the heel, which is found fully developed in that of the 

 hyaenas. 



In colour the caracal varies from a uniform rufous fawn-colour to a brownish- 

 rufous ; the under-parts being either a paler rufous or white, and frequently marked 

 with obscure rufous spots. The limbs and tail are coloured like the body, although 

 in some individuals the tip of the tail may be black. The outer sides of the ears 

 are either partially or completely black, while their interiors are white. The 

 length of the head and body varies from 26 to 30 inches, and that of the tail from 

 9 to 10 inches; the height at the shoulder being from 16 to 18 inches. 



This species is sometimes known as the Persian, and at others as the red lynx, 

 but the latter name is properly applied to a North American variety of the true 

 lynx. Although a rare animal everywhere, the caracal is spread over the greater 

 part of India, with the exception of Bengal, the Malabar coast, and the Eastern 

 Himalaya. It is unknown to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal, but towards the 

 south-west it is found in Mesopotamia, and perhaps the Persian highlands. It is 

 also found in Arabia; and over a large portion of Africa it is the sole repre- 

 sentatives of the lynxes. 



We have little or no information as to the habits of the caracal in Africa, and 

 only a scant record of its mode of life in India. Mr. Blanford considers, however, 

 that it probably dwells among grass and bushes, rather than in forests. Its prey 

 is stated to consist largely of gazelles, the smaller species of deer, hares, pea-fowl, 

 florican, cranes, and other birds ; and so active is the creature, that it is asserted to 

 have the power of springing up and capturing birds on the wing at a height of five 

 or six feet above the ground. The caracal is easily tamed, and in some parts of 

 India is trained to capture several of the animals mentioned above as forming its 

 natural prey. Blyth records that it is a favourite amusement among the 

 natives to let loose a couple of tame caracals among a flock of pigeons feeding on 

 the ground, when each of them will strike down as many as ten birds before the 

 flock can escape. It is believed that the expression " lynx-eyed " owes its origin 

 to this species. 



THE LYNX (Felis lynx). 



Few animals have given rise to more discussion among zoologists, in regard to 

 the number of species into which they should be divided, than the true lynxes ; 

 some authorities regarding those found in North America as representing three 

 species quite distinct from the typical Old World lynx, while others are disposed to 

 consider the whole four as mere varieties of a single species. It was likewise at 

 one time considered that there were two Old World lynxes occurring to the north 

 of the Alps ; one being the common lynx of Europe, and the other the Tibetan 

 lynx. It has now, however, been shown that these two varieties pass imperceptibly 

 into each other ; but to the south of the Alps, the so-called pardine lynx is regarded 

 as probably a distinct species. Without committing ourselves definitely to any one 

 view, we shall treat of the whole of these various forms of lynxes, with the 

 exception of the pardine lynx, under a single heading. 



The true lynxes are mainly a northern group, being unknown in Africa., 



