1842.] A Monograph of the Species of Lynx. 757 



of two colours, both striped and spotted," but gives no further descrip- 

 tion ; and Messrs. Lewis and Clarke assert, that — " The Tiger-cat 

 inhabits the borders of the plains, and the woody country in 

 the neighbourhood of the Pacific. It is of a size larger than the 

 wild Cat [Bay Lynx] of the United States, and much the same in form, 

 agility, and ferocity ; but its hair is long and fine, far exceeding that of 

 the animal mentioned. The colour of the back, neck, and sides, is of a 

 reddish brown, irregularly varied with spots of dark brown, the tail 

 is about two inches long, and nearly white, except the extremity, which 

 is black: it terminates abruptly, as if it had been amputated. The belly is 

 white, beautifully variegated with small black spots. The legs are of the 

 same colour as the sides, and the back is marked transversely [!] with 

 black stripes : the ears are black on the outer side, covered with fine 

 short hair, except at the upper part, which is furnished with a pen- 

 cil of hairs, fine, straight, and black, three-quarters of an inch long"*. 

 To me this somewhat elaborate description appears very much as if 

 it had been drawn up from recollection only, the tail being represented 

 as but two inches long, and the back as marked transversely, which is at 

 variance with every other species of Cat known. The country, too, 

 where the animal is stated to inhabit, has now been pretty well examin- 

 ed, and is known to yield the Arctic species, which I cannot bring 

 myself to doubt was that intended by the travellers. M. Raffinesque, 

 however, who never allowed an opportunity to pass of coining a name, 

 whether or not he had seen a specimen, or so much as a portion of 

 one, or even a drawing that could be depended on, has imposed the 

 name oifasciata upon the sole authority of Messrs. Lewis and Clarke's 

 description. The same author has indicated, as the Golden Lynx (Lynx 

 auratus, Raffinesque), an animal mentioned by Leray (' Voyage au 

 Missouri,' p. 190), who met with it, according to Dr. Harlan, on the 

 border of the Yellow- stone River, near the 44th degree of north latitude, 

 and 3 2d of western longitude from the meridian of Washington. The 

 animal is described as " one half larger than the domestic Cat, the tail 

 two inches long, and ears penicillated ; colour, a clear brilliant yellow, 

 spotted with black and white". The reputed Catamount is M. Raffines- 

 que's Lynx montanus, to which Dr. Harlan is disposed to refer the 

 Mississipi Lynx of Buffon, which is clearly the Bay Lynx, and some- 



* Narrative of Expedition, III, 28. 



