234 ECONOMIC MAMMALOGY 



supported by very definite evidence), and says that from 1914 to 1920 

 the U. S. Biological Survey, in cooperation with western stockmen, 

 killed 15,374 of them. 22 



One bobcat stomach contained remains of a chicken, one contained 

 remains of six robins, one contained a quail and another was seen to 

 catch two quail. 23 One bobcat killed a loo-pound deer in Colorado, and 

 another in Maine killed two deer in a few minutes and probably a 

 third within a few hours before. 24 



To offset the harm they do, they feed largely upon destructive ro- 

 dents, such as rabbits, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, mice, prairie- 

 dogs and the like. 25 The stomach of the type specimen of the Bailey 

 bobcat (Lynx 1 baileyi) was distended with the remains of small mam- 

 mals (one squirrel, one chipmunk, two gophers, one vole). 26 Pellets of 

 this species showed that rabbits and wood rats preponderate in its diet, 

 with many smaller rodents and an occasional bird. 27 It was said in 

 1905 that in portions of Texas "most of the ranchmen will not allow 

 the wildcats to be killed for fear their ranches will be overrun with 

 wood rats, mice and rabbits," but it is not usual for ranchmen to 

 recognize the value of these cats as rodent destroyers. Two stomachs 

 of the Texas bobcat (L. rufu-s texensis) contained wood rats, and one 

 contained carrion venison. 28 The barred bobcat (L. fasciatus) was 

 found feeding on grouse, rabbits, mice, pikas, chipmunks and moun- 

 tain beaver. 29 Canada lynx (L. canadensis) : "a study of the excreta 

 showed that they were feeding on different kinds of rodents, including 

 chipmunks, lemming-mice, white-footed mice, jumping mice, red- 

 backed mice, large-footed meadow mice and mountain beavers." 30 It 

 has been accused of killing several deer and is said to be an enemy of 

 foxes. "Its staple diet consists of hares, but it also eats squirrels, 



22 Bell, Hunting down stock killers, Yearbook U. S. Dept. Agric. for 1920, pp. 

 289-300. 



23 Maxey, Wildcat eats chickens, California Fish and Game, vi, 37, 1920. Hunt, 

 Food of the wildcat, California Fish and Game, vi, 37, 1920. McLean, Wildcat eats 

 birds, California Fish and Game, v, 160, 1919. 



24 Young, Bobcat kills deer, Journ. Mammalogy, ix, 64-65, 1928. Newsom, The 

 common bobcat a deer killer, Amer. Game, xix, 42, 50, 1930. 



26 Bailey, Farmers' Bull., No. 335, p. 26, 1908; N. Amer. Fauna, No. 49, p. 149, 

 1926. 



26 Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 3, p. 79, 1890. 



27 Bailey, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 25, pp. 170-171, 1905. 



28 Bailey, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 25, pp. 169-170, 1905. 



29 Taylor and Shaw, Mammals and birds of Mount Ranier National Park, pp. 60- 

 61, 1927. 



80 Taylor and Shaw, Mammals and birds of Mount Ranier National Park, p. 59, 

 1927. 



