50 FLESH-EATERS 



color, standing about 18 inches high at the shoulders. It is 

 readily recognized by the long pencil of stiff, black hair rising 

 from, the tip of each ear, and its huge, hairy paws. Its big 

 eyes and long side-whiskers give it a really terrifying coun- 

 tenance, particularly when it snarls. To the lone hunter 

 who camps in the dark and gloomy forests inhabited by this 

 creature, it seems a very dangerous animal; but in reality 

 it is not so. Those who have hunted it say it is not cou- 

 rageous, and at close quarters is easily killed with a stick. 

 It is a good climber, swims well, but on land runs rather 

 poorly, with a galloping gait. Although found in a few local- 

 ities in the northern United States, its real home is in the 

 provinces of Quebec, Ontario, and the Northwest, up to 

 Latitude 60°. A good average-sized male specimen collected 

 by Professor Dyche in British Columbia measured as fol- 

 lows: Height, 173^ inches; head and body length, 32 inches; 

 tail, 5 inches; girth, 173^ inches. 



The weight of a full-grown specimen is 22 pounds, and 

 the young are two in number. This species is rarely seen 

 in captivity, and is always desired by zoological parks and 

 gardens. Living specimens are worth from $10 to $40 each. 



The fur of this lynx is now valuable. In London the price 

 of fine, large skins has gradually risen from $4.87 in 1882 to 

 $39.85 in 1910. 



The Bay Lynx^ is also called the Red Lynx, Wild Cat, 

 or Bob Cat, according to the locality in which it is found. 

 Owing to variations in its color and in other characteristics 

 several subspecies have been described, but these are too 



1 Lynx ru'fus. 



