The Cat Family. 141 



farmer by carrying oflE lambs, little pigs, and poultry — 

 ducks, geese, turkeys and chickens proving equally ac- 

 ceptable. Away from the farmyard it feeds upon rabbits, 

 squirrels, mice, grouse, and what small birds it is fortunate 

 enough to capture. It generally makes its nest in a hol- 

 low tree or log, and lines it well with moss. From two to 

 four young constitute a litter, the most frequent number 

 being three." 



There is a large and woolly variety of Cat Common 

 found in Nova Scotia, known as the Canadian or Halifax 

 Bay Lynx, which is much larger than the other varieties 

 of the species, and has a finer, denser and longer fur. 

 It is a rich grey brown in color and the belly is beautifully 

 marked with black spots, and some of the skins of this 

 animal almost equal those of the true Lynx in quality. 



The Plateau Lynx (Felis-baileyi), a species of Ameri- 

 can L^^nx found on the high plateaux of Colorado, Utah 

 and Arizona approximates closer to the Bay Lynx 

 or American Wild Cat than it does to the true Lynx; but 

 it has a shorter tail, softer fur, and a paler light buff color 

 above, and lacks the black markings found on the face 

 and forehead of the Bay Lynx. 



The lair of the True Lynx is usually formed among the 

 rocks. It is savage in spite of its timidity, often killing 

 more animals than it can devour. The young are born 

 blind, and from two to three cubs are produced at a birth. 



