BULLETIN 



OF THE 



ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



VOL. 4. SALEM, MASS., OCTOBER, 1872. No. 10. 



One Dollar a Year in Advance. 10 Cents a Single Copy. 



CATALOGUE OF THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA, WITH NOTES ON THEIR 

 HABITS, DISTRIBUTION, ETC. BY C. J. MAYNARD. 



[Continued.] 



2. Lynx rufus RAFINESQUE. 

 Common Wild Cat. 



THIS animal is abundant even on the borders of the settled districts. 

 It is quite annoying to the planters, for it not only commits serious 

 inroads upon hen roosts, but frequently carries off young pigs. It is 

 a nocturnal animal, and is seldom seen abroad during the day, but 

 conceals itself in the thick hummocks. During the season when the 

 males are in pursuit of the females it may be occasionally met with, 

 especially in the morning and evening. At this time its loud and 

 varied cries are heard, sometimes during the day, but oftener during 

 the night. This is naturally a cowardly animal, and will invariably fly 

 from man when it has the power to do so. The wild cats are only as 

 large as setter dogs, yet they possess great strength, and a man re- 

 quires considerable determination to attack one when placed in such 

 a situation that it cannot escape. My friend, Mr. Thurston, once 

 seized a full grown male, that was only slightly stunned by a charge 

 of dust shot, and strangled it, but did not escape without receiving 

 some scratches. Although shy when faced, they will often approach 

 quite near one when sleeping in the open air, and I have upon two 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN. iv 18 



