

CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



THE EUROPEAN LYNX. 



Tun 1'nr of this animal is long, of a dull reddish gray above, with oblong spots of reddish gray on 

 the sides, tln> s|K>ts on the limbs rounder and smaller ; it is whitish below, mottled with black. The 

 length is alxnit three feet. 



This species varies greatly. In winter the fur is much longer than it is in summer, and has a hairy 

 ajijK-arance in the former season, owing to the long hair being then tipped with a grayish white. The 



f Vj '/ 



tail, which is black at the end, is not more than six or seven inches in length. This lynx feeds on 

 small quadrupeds and birds, in search of which it often climbs trees. Nearly allied to this is another 

 lynx.* M. Lesson enumerates no fewer than eight species of this genus. The most remarkable one 

 we shall now describe. 



THE CARACAL.t 



THIS animal is said to be found in Persia, India, and Barbary, by Pennant ; in Persia, Turkey, .v<-., 

 by Cuvier ; and in the whole of Africa, from Egypt and Barbary to the extremity of Catfraria, and the 

 southern half of Asia, at least as far eastward as the Ganges, by Bennett 



The latter has described one of these creatures as larger than the fox. The whole of the upper 

 surface of the body was of a deep and uniform brown, the hairs being, for the most part, slightly tipped 

 with gray ; the upper and under parts were nearly white ; and the chin, lower lip, and two spots, one 

 on the inner side of and above the eye, and the other beneath its outer angle, completely white ; the 

 neck and the throat of a lighter and brighter brown than the rest of the fur ; the ears long and 

 upright, tapering gradually to a fine tip, surmounted by a pencil of long black hairs, and black extre- 

 mity, and whitish within ; the whiskers short ; in front of the neck, on each side, a short and thick 

 lull of lighter coloured hairs; the tail eight or nine inches long, of the same uniform colour as the 

 body IVr.ni 1 MS( . (,, tip. 



Tins animal derives its name of Caracal from the Turkish words ' kara,' black, and 'kulach,' ear. 

 It is fluid to f<,U,,w the lion and other Felidce, for the purpose of feeding on what they leave. It feeds 



* Fells Cervam. 



f Cells Caracal. Temminck. 



