TNE WILD-CAT. 51 



ever been killed in Dumbartonshire, and most correctly 

 shows the difference of its size from that of a full-grown 

 house-cat. It was trapped on the banks of Loch Lomond 

 in the depth of winter, having come down to the low 

 ground in quest of prey. The bait was half a hare, hung 

 on a tree, the trap being set immediately under. The 

 person who went to inspect it thought, when at a little 

 distance, that a yearling lamb was caught. As he came 

 near, the cat sprang up two or three feet from the ground, 

 carrying the large heavy trap as if scarcely feeling its 

 weight. He would have had great difficulty in killing 

 it, had he not dodged round the tree when aiming a blow. 

 I have seen two males bearing the same proportion to 

 this specimen, both in size and fierceness of aspect, as 

 an old half-wild Tom to a chimney-nook mother Tabby. 

 One of these was shot by a gamekeeper, when on a 

 grouse-shooting expedition, in a very remote range ; the 

 other was trapped near the top of a high mountain. 



Except in the depth of a very severe winter, the wild- 

 cat seldom leaves its lone retreat. Nothing comes amiss 

 to it in the shape of prey ; lambs, grouse, hares, are all 

 seized with equal avidity. The female fears nothing 

 when in defence of her young, and will attack even man 

 himself. She generally rears them in rocky clefts and 

 precipices. I saw a couple of young ones that were 

 killed in one of the mountain cairns ; they were nearly 

 as large as a house-cat, although not many weeks old. 

 It was curious to see their short tails, and helpless, 



