THE WILDCAT. 



By Daniel Arrowsmith ("Sangamon")- 



7Li 



>HIS animal is common to the whole of the Middle 



and Western United States; but it is not nearly so 



^Ji I'F plentiful now as formerly, when those States were 



?^' comparatively a wilderness. At present, it is only 



found in broken, hilly, rocky, brushy, and thinly settled 



districts. 



In size, the Wildcat is about two and one-half feet in 

 length, fifteen inches in height at the shoulders, and weighs 

 from twenty to thirty pounds. It is of a dark brindle- 

 gray color on the back and down to mid-sides; the ground- 

 color becomes lighter as it approaches the belly; the lower 

 sides and belly are covered with round, black spots, edged 

 or circled with a yellowish hue. These spots are from the 

 size of a hickory -nut, on the sides, to that of a small pea on 

 the belly. 



The tail is about four inches long, and has a curtailed, 

 stumpy appearance. The eyes and ears are large, the 

 former being about the size of those of the great horned 

 owl, and bearing a striking resemblance to them; the feet, 

 about the size of those of the Gray Fox, and armed with 

 strong, hooked, and very sharp claws, which are concealed 

 when at rest, as is the case with all Felidce. 



The whole body is covered with a dense fur, somewhat 

 longer than that of the house-cat, to which, in fact, he 

 bears a striking resemblance in body and foraa; but the 

 Wildcat is about two and one-half times as large as the 

 largest "Tom" of our domestic cats. 



The Wildcat dens in clefts of rocks, and old hollow logs, 

 and preys upon birds, rabbits, and other small animals, 

 being particularly destructive to young piers. One pair of 



I 503 ) 



