THE LYNX. 



THE Lynx, which is the animal portrayed in 

 the accompanying illustration, is one cf the 

 feebler members of the Cat tribe, of which the 

 Lion and tlie Tiger are the most majestic and 

 powerful representatives. 



Some of the species of Lynx are of consider- 

 able size, but none are ever found so large as to 

 become formidable to man. They prey upon 

 Goats and Sheep and smaller animals, and also 

 pay frequent visits to the jioultry, if not too near 

 the house; for, like all wild Cats, the Lynx is 

 very shy and fearful of trusting itself in the vicin- 

 ity of any habitation. Noctural in its ways, it 

 sleeps throughout the day in some rocky fastness, 

 coming forth at the going down of the sun to be- 

 gin its round of devastation and robbery. It 

 rarely ventures to attack large animals, and 

 then only after it has been rendered well-nigh 

 desperate by long-continued hunger. The claws, 

 though slender, are highly formidable, as tlieyare 

 very sharply pointed, and are apparently far bet- 

 ter adapted for prehension, or seizing the prey, 

 than for tearing away tlieskin, This latter oper- 

 ation seems to be the principal use to which the 

 large Cats, such as the Lion and Tiger, devote 



the great talons that arm their paws; for usually 

 tliese animals strike their victims to the earth by 

 one powerful blow, and then employ their claws 

 for removing the skin and exposing bare the flesh. 



In fact, the claws of the great Feles above al- 

 luded to are usually split and broken at their 

 points, but they can be pulled away from beneath 

 until they -become sharp again. This is caused 

 by their constant growth, and as they are softer 

 beneath than above, the point becomes broken off 

 and' a split commences. After this has taken 

 place the points frequently grow inconveniently 

 long, and it is to free themselves from this an- 

 noyance that all Cats are in the habit of scratch- 

 ing at.the carpets and legs of chairs, or else, when 

 in a state of nature, upon the trunks and limbs 

 of trees. Mr. Darwin lias stated that the Puma, 

 in Patagonia, where trees are scarce, when 

 troubled by lengthened claws, is accustomed to 

 make deep scores in the bare, hard soil. 



Although some species are found in the warmer 

 countries of the globe, such as Spain and the 

 southern parts of North America, yet the Lynx 

 may be called an inhabitant of tlie boreal -regions 

 of the earth ; its thick fur, which causes the ani- 



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