112 MAMMALS OF UTAH 



and in having a shorter tail and softer fur. The upper 

 parts are everywhere suffused M^ith a buffy tint, and the 

 dark markings are decreased in area or altogether sup- 

 pressed. Thus the blackish marblings of the face and fore- 

 head are obsolete, and the black half ring at the tip of the 

 tail is not more than half the width of that of L. rufus. 

 On the other hand the anterior border of the ear is dis- 

 tinctly whitish, in marked contrast to the black immediately 

 behind it, while in L. rufus the same border is dark tawny 

 brown. The white hind toes of L. rufus are absent. (Mer- 

 riam.) 



Distribution — Dr. C. Hart Merriam informs me that 

 Lynx baileyi is the common bob-cat of southern Utah and 

 probably of the greater part of the state. 



Wild cats are quite common on the lower ranges of the 

 Manti forest (B. E. Mattsson) and are common all over 

 the Escalante forest and in the rough breaks to the south 

 and east (George E. Barney). There are probably a hun- 

 dred in the Cache national forest (E. C. Shepard) ; and 

 they appear in considerable numbers in the mountains on 

 both sides of the Sevier River valley in Garfield and Kane 

 counties (J. W. Humphrey). Bob-cats are fairly plentiful 

 in the Vernal country, being located generally around the 

 boundaries of the Ashley forest, between the farm lands 

 and the higher areas (William M. Anderson) . C. A. Matts- 

 son of Salina says : "The wild cat, bob-cat or bay lynx, as 

 it is variously called in different parts of the country, is 

 one of the most widely distributed and best known animals 

 in this vicinity. It has been seen on the hills near the 

 agricultural districts of the valleys and during the sum- 

 mer seasons on the high elevations of the mountains in the 

 Fish Lake national forest. It is most numerous near rock 

 slides, lava beds, in ledges, rough canyons, and in the more 

 inaccessible parts of the mountain ranges. Ordinarily the 

 wild cat seems to be rather uncommon, but its nocturnal 

 habits usually prevent its real numbers from being known. 

 However, on the Thousand Lake mountains, and on the 

 more inaccessible parts of the Fish Lake forest it is not 

 uncommonly seen abroad by day." 



Mr. F. A. Wrathall informs me that this animal is very 

 common if one may judge from the constant supply of skins 

 sent him for mounting from various parts of the state. 



S. B. Locke says that they are well distributed over the 

 cedar and pinyon covered districts of San Juan county. 



Habits — Despiteful, alert, and as furious as a demon 

 when actually cornered, but, at times, as warm hearted as 



