124 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



north of Panama. The following is the only wild ^ species found in 

 northeastern North America. 



Felis oregonensis Rafinesque Puma 



Yellowish brown above, middle line of back darker; under parts whitish; feet 

 large and heavy, -(oregon^nsis; N. Lat., Oregoniaii) 



While its typical subspecies F. oregonensis oregonensis 

 is confined to the northwest coast region, the puma occurs throughout 

 the wilder parts of North America south of the upper part of the Cana- 

 dian zone. It is divisible into several geographic races, one of which is 

 found within our limits. 



Felis oregonensis hippolestes (Merriam) Northerti puma 



1897 Felis hippolestes Merriam, Proc. biolog. soc. Washington. 15 July 



1897. 11 : 219. (Wind river mountains, Wy.) 



1898 Felis oregonensis hippolestes Stone, Science, n. s., 6 Jan. 



1899. 9 : :^5. 



Total length, 2600 (8i ft); tail vertebrae, 930 (36i) ; hind foot, 270 (lOf). 

 (hippolestes; Gk., horse thief) 



The northern puma formerly occurred throughout the wooded portions 

 of the northeastern United States and southern Canada. It is now 

 exterminated except in the remotest districts. This is the Felis con- 

 color of writers on the mammals of eastern North America. True 

 Felis concolor is, however, confined to South Ametica. The 

 proper subspecific name for the puma of the northeastern United 

 States is still a matter of doubt, I use hippolestes provisionally 

 only. 



Genus Lynx Kerr 



1792 Lynx Kerr, Aaimal kingdom, 1, Systematic catalogue (inserted between 

 p. 32 and 33). Type Lynx vulgaris Kerr = Felis lynx Linnaeus. 



Form robust ; tail short ; teefh 28 j ears tufted ; otherwise as in Felis. 



The genus Lynx contains a dozen or more species, confined for the 

 most part to the middle and lower boreal regions o the northern hemi- 

 sphere. About a dozen species or races, the status of which is not yet 

 well understood, occur in North America. Four of these are found 

 within our limits. 



1 The house cat is often found in a half wild state. 



