THE CARACAL, OR LYNX. 77 



THE CARACAL, OR LYNX, 



IN THE GARDENS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



This animal, now known by the name of the Caracal, is indisputably the same as the lynx of the 

 ancients, and the change of its name may be attributed to that spirit of reformation which has been 

 latterly displayed in the improvement of our scientific nomenclatures. The Romans gave the name 

 of Lupus cervarius to this animal, from an idea that it was a spurious intermixture of the wolf and the 

 hind. The word Lynx is a derivation of the Greek word lugx, from which is also derived the 

 German lucks. The ancients attributed to this animal the most surprising qualities, one of which 

 was, that the acuteness of its vision was so great, that it could see through " a stone wall :" but on this 

 head Gesner says, "I cannot tell whether the sight be attributed to the lynxe truely accordinge to 

 nature, or fabulously in imitation of the poeticall fiction of Lynceus, of whome it was saide in 

 ancient time that hee sawe through stone walles." — It is however sufficient for us to know that there 

 is no animal existing which, from its wonderful powers of sight, is able to discover its prey at so great 

 a distance as the lynx. 



In size the caracal is rather larger than the fox, being about four feet in length, exclusive of the 

 tail, which measures about six inches. The ears, which are long and upright, taper gradually to a 

 fine tip, surmounted by a long pencil of black hairs. The fur is long and thick, and on the upper 

 surface of the body, is of a deep and uniform brown, obscurely marked with small dusky spots. The 

 under and inner parts are nearly white ; the chin and lower lip are completely white, as well as two 

 spots, one on the inner side of and above the eye, and the other beneath its outer angle. The tail is 

 between eight and nine inches long, and is of the same colour as the body from the base to the tip. 

 The whiskers, unlike others of the cat tribe, are very short, and rise not from distinct spots, as in 

 the lion or leopard, but from a series of lines which run parallel on each side of the muzzle. At a 

 small distance from these lines, and in front of the neck on each side, is a short and thick tuft of 

 lighter coloured hairs. 



The lynx is able to pursue his prey even into the branches of the highest trees. Neither, the wild 

 cat, the martin, the ermine, nor even the squirrel can escape him. He also unrelentingly seizes upon 

 and destroys the stag, the roebuck, and the hare. When sheep happen to be folded in the neighbour- 

 hood of his retreat, he will scratch his way through the earth under the doors of the fold, and if not 

 checked by the presence of the shepherd, will commit the most horrible devastations. 



Topsell, speaking of the lynx, says, " In summer time they are very weak, and live amongst the 

 rocks, never straying far from their own lodging, and hurting no man until the autumn. They hunt 

 wild goats, which they follow from rock to rock, leaping as fast or faster than the goats themselves. 

 They hunt also wild cats and hares, and some other little beasts, but the greatest lynxes hunt harts 

 and asses. It is their custom to get up into trees, and there to lie in wait for their prey, until they 

 espy it under the boughs, and then suddenly leap on the back of it, in which they fix their claws so 

 fast that no violence can shake them off, but with the sharpness of their teeth they bite into the skull 

 and eat out the brains, to the utter destruction of the man or beast ; but if the beast be small, they 

 devour the entire body."' Gesner says, " There be a wonderfull secret in their nature, that although 

 they be long afflicted with hunger, yet when they eate their meate, ii they heare any noise, or any 

 other chaunce cause them to turne about from their meat, out of the sight of it, they forgette then 



