50 
as deer, bighorns, colts, calves and hogs. They kill only for 
food. Instances of their attacking people are rare and nowadays 
they avoid men as much as possible. 
66. CALIFORNIA BOBCAT. Wildcat. Lynx eremicus cali- 
fornicus. 
Common in brush and forests throughout the county. They 
vary greatly with age and season, in color, spotting, and size 
of ear tuft. Bobcats prey on all the smaller mammals and birds 
and frequently on poultry. Most of their hunting is done in the 
night but they prowl around more or less in the daytime. 
The Canada Lynx does not occur here. 
Family CANIDZE. Wolves, Dogs and Foxes. 
This is a rather large family, distributed over all the world. 
All are carnivorous, but many species eat other food, such as 
fruits. 
67. VALLEY COYOTE. Canis ochropus. 
Rather common from the summit of the mountains to the 
seacoast. Sometimes harmful to poultry and occasionally to 
sheep and young stock. In the long run this harm is nearly off- 
set by their destruction of gophers, squirrels and mice and by 
keeping rabbits in check around grain fields, vineyards and 
orchards. Rather fond of grapes and occasionally troublesome 
in vineyards. We are apt to remember the harm they do and 
give them scant credit on the beneficial side. 
68. DESERT COYOTE. Canis ochropus estor. 
Common on the eastern slope of the mountains and on the 
Desert. 
A smaller, brighter colored race (Canis ochropus mearnsi) 
probably occurs in the mountains, but not enough examples are 
available to decide the point. 
69. LONG-EARED KIT FOX. Vulpes macrotis. 
It is reasonably certain that this Fox formerly occurred in 
the region between the sea and the mountains, and probably a 
few still live here. 
70. MOHAVE DESERT KIT FOX. Vulpes macrotis arsipus. 
Occasional in the Mohave Desert and Colorado Desert. I 
have trapped this pale colored race at Borego Springs in the 
northeastern part of this county. 
71. CALIFORNIA GRAY FOX. Urocyon cinereoargenteus 
californicus. 
Common in brush and forest in many parts of the county. 
Family PROCYONIDE. Raccoons, etc. 
A rather small family distributed through temperate and 
tropical America. The food is small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, 
insects, fruit and seeds. Nocturnal. Terrestrial and arboreal. 
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