IN THE FAR WEST. in 



scratching, and few experienced hunters care for such trifles. 

 1 have shot it occasionally, after treeing 1 it with dogs, but I 

 never knew it to assault me, nor to make even a fierce fight 

 against its canine foes, hence it offers but little sport ; yet 

 a person who bags his twenty-pound cat after a scramble 

 through brake and briar, feels pleased with himself. Its 

 congeners, the L. rnfas and L. fasciatus, which resemble 

 it in habit and character, are very common in the forests of 

 the Northwest, and commit sad havoc among the grouse, 

 hares, squirrels and other small animals on which they prey. 



The latter is readily distinguished from the former by its 

 rich chestnut colour and soft, full fur, the other having a 

 reddish hue and a shorter and coarser fur. With this exception, 

 both look remarkably alike, so much so in fact that an amateur 

 naturalist would consider them to be the same species, and 

 would attribute their different hue of coating to age, habitat, 

 or the season of the year. An adult frequently attains a 

 length of thirty-four inches, exclusive of the tail, which is 

 about seven inches, and a height at the fore-shoulder, of sixteen 

 inches. Both varieties or species inhabit the same character 

 of country, being generally found in the wooded borders of 

 plains or valleys. If captured young, they soon learn to know 

 the person who feeds them, and become somewhat attached to 

 him; but they are such inveterate thieves, and so destructive 

 to poultry, that they can only be kept in strong cages from 

 which there is no possibility of escape, else they would soon 

 prove most costly pets. 



Theyresent the friendly advances of all strangers by humping 

 up the back, depressing the cars, showing the teeth, and 

 spitting fiercely, and should he approach too closely they 

 would even fly at him. As they make raids on the farmyard 

 occasionally, the farmers resort to poison to get rid of them, 

 and not a few fall victims to the rifle or shot-guu. I killed 

 four in one mouth in Washington Territory with the aid of 

 dogs, and I never experienced any trouble from them, probablv 

 for the very excellent reason that I did not place mvself in 

 their way until they were rendered harmless. (\it hunts are 

 very popular with some persons,, and especially those win.) have 



