QUADRUPEDS OF lOETH AMERICA. 



GENUS LYNX. 



DENTAL FORMULA. 



Incisive -=; Canine - — =■ ; Cheek-Teeth 5 — ; = 28. 



6 1 — 1 o — J 



The teeth in animals of this genus, with the exception of there being 

 one less on each side, in the upper jaw ; do not differ from the dental ar- 

 rangement of the genus Felis. The canine are very strong, there are 

 but three molars on each side, above : The small false-molar, next to 

 the canine, which exists in the larger species of long-tailed cats, such 

 as the lion, tiger, panther, cougar, &c., as well as in the domestic or 

 common cat, is wanting in the lynxes. There is one false-molar, or coni- 

 cal tooth on each side — one carnivorous, with three lobes and a tubercle 

 or blunted heel, on the inner. The third cheek-tooth is rather small, and 

 is placed transversely. In the lower jaw there are on each side, two false, 

 compressed, simple molars, and one canine, which is bicusped. 



The head is short, round, and arched ; jaws short ; tongue aculeated ; 

 ears short, erect, more or less tufted. 



Fore-feet with five toes, hind-feet with only four; nails retractile. 

 Tail shorter than the head, although nearly as long, in a few instances. 



The species heretofore classed in the genus Felis have been so multi- 

 plied by the discoveries of late years in various parts of the world, that 

 they have for some time demanded a careful examination, and the sepa- 

 ration of such as present characters essentially different from the tj-pes 

 of that genus, into other genera. 



Some of the distinctive marks by which the genus Lynx is separated 

 * '2 



