PACIFIC WILDCAT, LYNX FASCIATUS. 



ALLAN BROOKS. 



Throughout America the smaller lynxes 

 (Rufus maculatus, bailcyi, etc.) are known 

 as wildcats, although they are typical 

 lynxes, being congeneric with the common, 

 or Canada, lynx. In external appearance 

 the lynxes differ from the true cats, of 

 which the cougar or mountain lion is a 

 typical representative, in their short, stub- 

 by tails, longer legs, and shorter bodies. 

 They generally have the tips of the ears 

 more or less tufted, and all lynxes have 



which they use as a bridge over a river or 

 stream. They prey entirely on smaller 

 mammals and game birds, and are often 

 very destructive to poultry, but I never 

 heard of their killing lambs o. any other 

 live stock. Only once have I seen a wild- 

 cat catch an animal. That was when I was 

 dropping down a stream in a canoe. I 

 saw one make a splendid spring of 12 or 

 15 feet and secure a muskrat which was 

 feeding within 20 yards of me. Ly*ixes do 



PACIFIC WILDCAT. 



heavy whiskers on the cheeks. Lynx fas- 

 ciatus is the handsomest of all the rufus 

 group and is confined to the Pacific coast, 

 being replaced farther inland by the paler 

 Lynx bailey Lynx fasciatus is a heavily 

 marked, dark colored species, with small 

 tufts on the ears. I have always found 

 wildcats difficult to trap, as foo is gener- 

 ally plentiful where they are found, and 

 they will not touch dead bait unless they 

 have caught it themselves. Beaver cas- 

 toreum seems to attract them and they are 

 often caught in traps baited with the car- 

 cass of a beaver. The best way to trap 

 them is on their runways, or on a log 



a lot of fishing, especially during the sal- 

 mon spawning season. 



Why are lynxes almost invariably called 

 "links"? Even trappers, who see the name 

 correctly spelled in their fur catalogues, 

 always speak of a "link." Wildcats and 

 lynxes, like all animals of the cat tribe, are 

 seldom seen, even when they are plentiful, 

 their timid, skulking disposition keeping 

 them out of sight. Adults of the Pacific 

 wildcat will weigh 16 to 25 ponnds. females 

 being smaller than males. I have heard of 

 males that weighed 30 pounds. The irides 

 are light reddish brown, not bright yellow, 

 as taxidermists generally represent them. 



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