CHAPTER IV. 



THE THIBETAN LYNX. 



Felis Isabellina. 

 In Thibet — Ee. 



THE Lynx appears to be very rare in Thibet. During seven summers which I have 

 spent there, I have only twice met with it, and know very little about its habits. 



The Lynx stands about seventeen inches at the shoulder, but is enormously powerfully 

 made, with teeth and claws large enough for an animal of twice its size. The color of its 

 fur is a lightish red, merging into a very pale tint on the lower- parts, which are faintly 

 spotted. The tips of the ears are beautifully pencilled and jet black. The tail is very short, 

 and black at the tip. The fur is soft and close. 



The Tartars informed me that the Lynx frequently killed sheep and goats, and it is 

 certainly armed quite formidably enough to do so. Hares, however, appear to be its favorite 

 food ; and as they literally swarm in some places, it can have no difficulty in killing them 

 whenever it likes. 



In 1864, I saw a Lynx in the Kyobrung Valley, but as I was in hopes of finding Yak, 

 I would not fire at it. 



On the 4th of July, 1 866, 1 was hunting Oves Hodgsonii on the high ground between Hanle 

 and Nyima, when I suddenly came upon a female Lynx with two young cubs. I shot the 

 mother, and as the cubs concealed themselves among some rocks, I barricaded them in, and 

 went on with my hunting. On arriving in camp, I sent men back to try and catch the cubs : 

 in this they succeeded, and brought them to me. They were about the size of half-grown 

 cats, and more spiteful, vicious little devils cannot be imagined ; they were, however, very 

 handsome, with immense heads and paws. For two or three days they refused all food, but 

 at the end of that time they fed quite ravenously from the hand. They soon became very 

 tame and playful, though always ready to set their backs up if at all teased, or if a dog came 

 near them. They lived in perfect health for nearly a month, when one suddenly died with- 

 out any apparent cause. I have since learned that its death was probably occasioned by its 

 having its meat cut up for it. The cat tribe are accustomed to masticate their food 

 thoroughly before swallowing it, and this they naturally do when cutting and tearing the 

 flesh from their prey : when, however, the meat is cut into pieces they are apt to swallow it 

 in lumps, which disagrees with them. The other Lynx lived to accompany me to the plains, 

 and was in perfect health when, to my great annoyance, it was lost off my dak gharry, near 

 Delhi, owing to the carelessness of my servant. I had intended to have sent it to England. 



In 1878, I saw a full grown Thibet Lynx in the possession of Dr. Anderson, the Curator 

 of the Calcutta Museum. It had been brought down through Darjiling, and strange to say, 

 it did not appear to be injuriously affected by the hot damp climate of Bengal : it was very 

 tame and playful. 



This Lynx is still living in the Zoological Gardens at Calcutta. 



