50 CAENIVORA. 



CAT COMMON, OE BAY LYNX. 



Felis rufa. 

 French : Chat Cervier. German : Luchs-katze. 



This animal is by no means abundant, but this should 

 be hardly a reason for the confusion which until 

 recently existed in its classification. 



Eichardson, who is so careful and accurate in his 

 description of the North American fauna, described it 

 as the Banded Lynx, but, in justice to this eminent 

 naturalist, it must be stated that but few Cat Common 

 are found in the Hudson's Bay Territory. 



It is often described by American dealers and authors 

 under the name of Wild Cat or Lynx Cat. 



The Bay Lynx inhabits New York State, Pennsyl- 

 vania, Virginia, Texas, California, and other States of 

 the American Union. 



It is about 2 feet long ; the back is, as a rule, of a 

 light brown shade, often marked with handsome spots 

 or rings ; the belly is light coloured or white ; the chest 

 is white, and the ears black at base, then white and 

 black at tip ; some of the whiskers are black, and some 

 are white. The tail is very short and coloured at the 

 base, the same as the back ; towards the tip it is black, 

 the extreme tip is white, with white hair underneath 

 the whole length of the tail ; this colouring invariably 

 distinguishes it from the Lynx. The tail is correctly 

 described by Eichardson. 



The feet are well padded and furnished with sharp 

 claws, and the face is beautifully marked with black and 

 white lines, resembling a miniature Tiger. 



The Cat Common varies considerably both in colour 

 and marking. 



