1842.] A Monograph of the Species of Lynx. 751 



when it is surprised by a hunter in a tree, for though it spits like 

 a Cat, and sets its hair up, it is easily destroyed by a blow on the 

 back with a slender stick, and it never attacks a man. Its gait is 

 by bounds, with the back a little arched, and lighting on all the feet 

 at once. It swims well, and will cross the arm of a lake two miles 

 wide ; but it is not swift on land. It breeds once in the year, and has 

 two young at a litter. The natives eat its flesh, which is white and 

 tender, but rather flavourless, much resembling that of the American 

 Hare." The latter accords with the statement of Dr. Shaw respecting 

 the flesh of the Lion, which this author compares to veal; and it is 

 borne out by the personal experience of Mr. Darwin, in the instance 

 of the Puma, which is commonly eaten by the Guachos of South 

 America. Buffon, therefore, may have been writing from supposed 

 analogy when he asserted that the flesh of the common European Lynx, 

 " like that of other carnivorous animals," is not good to eat.* 



* It is indeed a question, to what extent the excessive repugnance with which 

 the idea of eating the flesh of Carnivora is usually entertained, be not mere educa- 

 tional prejudice, as an immense host of authorities might be cited to testify. Mr. 

 Darwin, as above noticed, in his extremely interesting ' Journal' (p. 135), relates, 

 "At supper, from something that was said, I was suddenly horrified at thinking 

 I was eating one of the favorite dishes of the country, a half-formed calf, long before 

 its proper time of birth. [This reminds one of an esteemed dainty of the ancient 

 Romans ; namely, a gravid uterus suillus /] It turned out to be Puma ; the meat is 

 very white, and remarkably like veal in taste. Dr. Shaw was laughed at for saying 

 that the flesh of the Lion is in great esteem, having no small affinity for veal, whether 

 in colour, taste, or flavour ; such, certainly," continues Mr. Darwin, "is the case with 

 Puma. The Guachos differ in opinion, whether the Jaguar is good eating ; but are 

 unanimous in saying that Cat is excellent." 



Similar testimony in favour of Dog's flesh might be adduced, and not only as 

 regards the meat of such as are reared exclusively on vegetable diet, but of those 

 which take their chance and find their own subsistence as they may. Mr. Townshend 

 (in his recent c Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains' of North America) 

 states, that he has often eaten and relished it, and has no other objection to this diet 

 than the sentimental one of repulsiveness, at having so faithful a servitor and friend 

 of man heartlessly butchered to appease his appetite. In Norway, I may remark 

 en passant, a breed is reared solely for the sake of their fur, which has evoked a 

 similar remark from De Capel Broke and other tourists in that country. Capt. Lyon 

 mentions, of the Arctic Fox, that " the flesh, which was very fat, had so good an 

 appearance, that many trials were made of it. All were horrified at the idea of eating 

 Foxes, but very many soon got the better of their delicacy. Not being myself very 

 nice, 1 soon made the experiment; and found the flesh much resembling that of kid, 

 and I afterwards frequently made a supper of it." — Private Journal, p. 90. 



Of the quality of Viverridts meat, I do not remember to have seen or heard of any 

 remark, nor do I suspect it would be otherwise, than rank and unpalatable : but of the 

 Plantigrada, or Bears, Raccoons, and their allies, and of the Badger tribe, all of 



