ZOOLOGY — MAMMALS. 75 



haunts, where the blue grouse must he the largest game they can capture. In the fall they, 

 no doubt, feast, like many other animals, on the multitudes of dead salmon washed up on river 

 banks. 



I only once saw one alive, which was walking along a fallen trunk of a tree, whose top lay 

 in the water, trying to get at a flock of half-fledged sheldrakes. It was so intent on the game 

 that it did not notice our canoe silently and rapidly approaching it. The Indian in the' bow 

 startled it from its pursuit by lodging a charge of buck-shot in its side. It fell into the water, 

 but soon recovered and attempted to climb out again. A stroke of a paddle stunned it, but it 

 was sometime before it died, showing great tenacity of life. 



While travelling on the Columbia, I have heard in the densely forest clad mountains near 



its mouth, a loud screaming, answered from the hills around, which I was told was caused by 



the wildcat. This was always bt fire sunrise, and the number was too great to have been 



caused by panthers. 



LYNX RUFUS. 



American Wild Cat. 



Felis ruffa, Guldenstaedt, Nov. Comtn. Petrop. XX, 1776, 499. 



Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 90. 

 Lynx rufus, Raf. Am. Month. Mag. II, 1817, 46. 



AuD. & Bach. N. A. Quad. I, 1849, 2 ; pi. i. 



Sp. Ch. — Fur moderately full and soft. Above and on sides pale rufous, overlaid with grayish ; the latter color most preva- 

 lent in winter. A few obsolete dark spots on the sides, and indistinct longitudinal lines along the middle of the back. Collar 

 on the throat like sides, but much paler. Beneath, white spotted. Inside of fore and hind legs banded. Tail with a small 

 black patch above at the end, with indistinct subterminal half rings. Inner surface of the ear black, with a white patch. 



In California the wild cat is no less numerous than in Washington Territory. During a stay 

 of six weeks in that country, in the fall of 1855, 1 saw two, and heard of many others being 

 killed. The country being more open, they are much more easily hunted than in the north, and 

 often appear in the open prairie in the day time. One I met with while hunting hares, about 

 noon, and where I had been shooting several times the same morning. Two of us tried to steal 

 upon it from opposite sides, but, as there was no shelter, it saw us and galloped oif rapidly 

 to a dense thicket near by. The same day, having obtained dogs, it was "treed" and shot. 

 Many had been already killed near by as they came down from the wild mountains to the farm. 

 They often sat in some thicket convenient to the house, and during the day succeeded in 

 catching many fowls that unwarily approached their lair, as the occasional screaming and 

 confusion among the poultry testified. When the owner had" dogs, there was generally no 

 difficulty in driving the cat up a tree, and there shooting it. 



CANIS OCCIDENTALIS. 



Large Wolf. 



Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 104. 



One or more species of wolf is found west of the Cascade mountains, but I could never obtain 

 a specimen. They are of very large size, and howl in a loud dismal tone, very different 

 from the yelping bark of the '^' coyote," which I never heard in the forest covered regions. 

 They are said to be of a light gray color, and instances are related of their pursuing and 

 devouring men, especially in cold winters. It seems strange that while two or three species of 

 wolves, besides foxes, are very abundant in the prairies and deserts east of the Dalles, where 

 there is no game larger than hares and sage fowl, they seem to shun the regions inhabited by 

 elk and deer west of the mountains. They have, however, become more common since the 

 introduction of sheep in some districts. 



