110 MAMMALS OF UTAH 



attacks on children; yet Hornaday, who can always be 

 relied upon in matters concerning mammals, says it is less 

 to be dreaded than a savage dog. Of course there are ex- 

 ceptions to all rules governing the habits of wild animals; 

 in fact, I knew a trapper in Idaho by the name of Frank 

 Peet, who habitually shot grizzlies yet had been followed by 

 a cougar in such a uncanny manner on several occasions 

 that he feared this animal more than any other in the 

 woods. 



When treed a cougar will snarl and growl in low thun- 

 derous tones and at the death may even squall. In defend- 

 ing itself it strikes with its forepaw or, lying on its back, 

 tries to rip open its antagonist with its claws. 



In a single night a cougar may ravage a stock farm 

 wreaking its desires particularly on colts, sheep, calves and 

 pigs. Phineas Bodily tells me that he saw one kill ten 

 sheep in as many minutes; it bit each one in the back of 

 the head and the whole performance was over before any 

 sounds were made. He has known a cougar to jump a 

 nine-foot fence, taking a grown sheep with it. 



CANADA LYNX 



FELIS CANADENSIS (Kerr) 



Lynx canadensis Kerr, Anim. Kingd. 1792, p. 32, disc. p. 157. 

 Felis canadensis Elliot, Syn. N. Am. Mamm. F. C. M. Pub. II, 

 1901, p. 295. Zool. Ser. 



Description — Body stout, and legs very long, with very 

 large feet. The fur is dense and very long. Color light 

 gray, base of hairs rufous, giving a reddish tinge to the 

 coat ; top of head and back darkest ; ears behind black with a 

 gray patch, and tufts of black hairs projecting- upwards 

 from the tips ; under parts white ; tip of tail black all round. 

 Total length 37 ; tail vert. 4.75. (Merriam.) 



Distribution — In 1915 sixty-one lynx were taken in 

 Utah and reported for the payment of bounty, thirty-one 

 of them coming from Sevier County, and the remainder from 

 Beaver, Uintah, San Pete, Salt Lake, Rich, Emery, Du- 

 chesne, and Carbon Counties. In 1916 forty-two were killed, 

 thirteen coming from Tooele County and the remainder 

 from Box Elder, Carbon, Duchesne, Iron, Morgan, Salt Lake, 

 San Pete, Summit, Uinta, Utah, Wasatch, Wayne, and Bea- 

 ver Counties. Clinton Milne says that there are a few in 

 Washington County. 



