CANADA LYNX. 141 



The Canada Lynx, like all other animals of its general habits, breeds 

 but once a year, generally having two young; we have heard of an in- 

 stance, however, of three whelps being littered at a time. 



The skin of this animal is generally used for muffs, collars, &c., and is 

 ranked among the most beautiful materials for these purposes. It varies 

 somewhat in colour, and the best are much lighter, when killed in good 

 season, than the specimen from which our drawing was made. 



We have been informed by the northern trappers that the Canada Lynx 

 is usually taken in steel-traps, such as are used for the beaver, and otter, 

 into which he enters very readily. 



The Indians' we are told, regard its flesh as good eating, which 

 may perhaps, be ascribed to the excellence of their appetites. Hearnb, 

 (see Journey, p. 366,) who ate of it in the neighborhood of York Fort, 

 says, " the flesh is white, and nearly as good as that of the rabbit." We 

 think we would give the preference, however, to a bufialo-hump well 

 roasted, for either dinner or supper. 



The stories told of the great cunning of this species, in throwing mosses 

 from the trees in order to entice the deer to feed on them, and then drop- 

 ping on their backs and tearing their throats, may as well be omitted 

 here, as they fortunately require no refutation at the present day. 



The food of the Canada Lynx, consists of several species of grouse and 

 other birds, the northern hare, gray rabbit, chipping squirrel, and other 

 quadrupeds. It has been mentioned to us, that in the territories to the 

 north of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, they destroy the Arctic fox, and make 

 great havoc among the lemmings, (Georychus.) Hearne informs us, that 

 in Hudson's Bay they " seldom leave a place which is frequented by 

 rabbits, till they have killed nearly all of them." They are said to pounce 

 on the wild goose at its breeding places, and to destroy many marmots 

 and spermophiles, by lying in wait for them at their burrows. At a pub- 

 lic house in Canada, -we were showTi the skin of one of these Lynxes, the 

 animal having been found quite helpless, and nearly dead in the woods. 

 It appears, that leaping on to a porcupine, it had caught a Tartar, as 

 its head was greatly inflamed, and it was nearly blind. Its mouth was 

 full of the sharp quills of that well-defended animal, which would in a 

 day or two, have occasioned its death. We have heard one or two ac- 

 counts of the Canada Lynx having killed a deer ; we are somewhat 

 sceptical in regard to this being a general habit of the species, although 

 when pressed by hunger, which renders all creatures desperate at times, 

 it may occasionally venture to attack a large animal. 



Hearne states that he " once savir a Lynx that had seized on the carcass 

 of a deer just killed by an Indian, who was forced to shoot it, before 



