494 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



common in France, and has but recently disappeared from 

 Germany. It is found in Spain and in the north of the 

 European continent, but it is not yet certain whether it in- 

 habits Africa. 



America produces certainly two species of the Lynx, and, 

 probably, not more. One of these is gray, with the end of 

 the tail black. This is the Canada Lynx of Buffon, Supp. 

 iii., pi. 44, and his Lynx du Mississippi, of Supp. vii.,pl. 33. 



Some individuals have the fur so thick and long, espe- 

 cially on the paws, that they have a very different appear- 

 ance from the European Lynx. The fur is in general yellow, 

 with the points white, which makes the general colour 

 grayish-ash ; on the back the bottom of the hairs is blackish, 

 which gives a general brown tint. The blackish band on 

 each side of the neck is nearly effaced, and there is no black 

 at the base of the ears. The head and body are nearly 

 three feet long, and the tail about four inches, and it is 

 about two feet high. 



Others have less fur, are rather smaller, and shew the 

 darker colour more distinctly. We suspect, indeed, that 

 in regard to the fur, the same individual varies considera- 

 bly with the season. 



The other, or United States' Lynx, is of the size, and 

 has the form and distribution of spots, of our first Eu- 

 ropean species. The ground colour is gray ; its spots are 

 more numerous, deeper on the back, and paler on the sides 

 and limbs. They, however, vary in number and size. The 

 tail has four black rings and four gray. 



The above observations on the species, by which it will 

 be seen their number is very much limited, are almost en- 

 tirely from our author in his Ossemens Fossiles. The table 

 will shew the claimants to distinct species of this group. 



In the clear definition of species, the great goal of Zoo- 

 logy, no branch of it, perhaps, is more imperfect than that 



