14 COMMON AMERICAN WILD CAT. 



ed, saw three j'oung ones taken out from the hollow of a tree which was 

 thirty feet from the ground. On four occasions, we have had opportuni- 

 ties of counting the j'oung, either in the nest or having been very re- 

 cently taken from it. In every case there were three young ones. In one 

 instance the nest was composed of long moss, (Tillandsia iisneoides,) which 

 seemed to have been part of an old, deserted, squirrel's nest. 



We once made an attempt at domesticating one of the young of this spe- 

 cies, which we obtained when only two weeks old. It was a most spiteful, 

 growling, snappish little wretch, and showed no disposition to improve its 

 habits and manners under our kind tuition. We placed it in a wooden box, 

 from which it was constantly striving to gnaw its way out. It, one night, 

 escaped into our library, where it made sad work among the books, (which 

 gave us some valuable lessons on the philosophy of patience, we could 

 not have so readily found among our folios,) and left the marks of its teeth 

 on the mutilated window-sashes. Finally we fastened it with a light 

 chain, and had a small kennel built for it in the yard. Here it was con- 

 stantly indulging its carnivoTous propensities, and catching the young 

 poultry, which it enticed within reach of its chain by leaving a portion of 

 its food at the door of its house, into which it retreated until an opportu- 

 nity offered to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. Thus it continued, grow- 

 ing if possible, more wild and vicious every day, growling and spitting at 

 every servant that approached it, until at last, an unlucky blow, as a 

 punishment for its mischievous tricks, put an end to its life, and with it 

 to one source of annoyance. 



The Bay Lynx is generally in fine order, and often very fat. The 

 meat is white, and has somewhat the appearance of veal. Although we 

 omitted to taste it, we have seen it cooked, when it appeared savoury, 

 and the persons who partook of it pronounced it delicious. 



The muscular powers of this species are very great, and the fore-feet 

 and legs are rather large in proportion to the body. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The geographical range of the Bay Lynx is very extensive, it being 

 found to inhabit portions of the Continent from the tropics as far north as 

 60°. It abounds in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and both the Caro- 

 linas, and is found in all the States east of these, and likewise in New 

 Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. We have seen it on the shores of the Up- 

 per Missouri more than a thousand miles above St. Louis. We examined 

 one that had been taken a few hours before, by some hunters in Erie coun- 

 ty, in the State of New York, and have heard of its existing, although 

 rather sparingly, in L^pper Canada, where it has been occasionally captured. 



