COMMON AMERICAN WILD CAT. 13 



saw struggling in the grasp of a Wild-Cat, which almost instantly dragged 

 it up the bank into the woods, and made ofF. On another occasion we 

 observed an individual of this species, about nine miles from Charleston, 

 in pursuit of a covey of partridges, {Ortyx Tirginiana.) — so intent 

 was the Cat upon its prey, that it passed within ten steps of us, as it was 

 making a circle to get in advance and in the path of the birds, — its eyes 

 were constantly fixed on the covey, and it stealthily concealed itself be- 

 hind a log it expected the birds to pass. In a second attempt the marau- 

 der succeeded in capturing one of the partridges, when the rest in great 

 affright flew and scattered in all directions. 



An individual that was kept alive at Charleston, and afterw^ards for a 

 short time at our house in the City of New- York, showed its affinity to the 

 domestic cat, by purring and mewing at times loud enough to be heard at 

 some distance. At the former place its cry was several times mistaken for 

 that of the common house-cat. In the woods, during the winter season, its 

 loud catterwauling can be heard at the distance of a mile. 



Although this species may perhaps be designated as nocturnal in its 

 habits, it is, by no means, exclusively so, as is shown by the foregoing ac- 

 count. We have, in fact, in several instances seen this Cat engaged in 

 some predatory expedition in full sun-shine, both in winter and summer. 



It is not a very active swimmer, but is not averse to taking the water. 

 We witnessed it on one occasion crossing the Santee river when not 

 pursued, and at another time saw one swimming across some ponds to 

 make its escape from the dogs. It has been observed, however, that 

 when it has taken to the water during a hard chase, it soon after either as- 

 cends a tree or is caught by the hounds. 



The domicile of the Wild-Cat is sometimes under an old log, covered 

 with vines such as the Smilax, Ziziphus volubilus, Rubus, &c., but more 

 commonly in a hollow tree. Sometimes it is found in an opening twenty 

 or thirty feet high, but generally much nearer the ground, frequently in 

 a cavity at the root, and sometimes in the hollow truiLk of a fallen tree, 

 where, after collecting a considerable quantity of long moss and dried 

 leaves to make a comfortable lair, it produces from two to four young. 

 These are brought forth in the latter end of March in Carolina ; in the 

 Northern States, however, the kittens appear later, as we have heard of 

 an instance in Pennsylvania where two young were found on the 15th 

 day of May, apparently not a week old. Our friend Dr. Sajiuel Wilson, 

 of Charleston, a close observer of nature, has made the following note in 

 our memorandum book. "April 15th, 1839, shot a female Wild-Cat as it 

 started from its bed, out of which four young ones were taken, their eyes 

 were not yet open." Our friend Dr. Desel, whom we have already mention- 



