2f4 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



ftripes, pointing downward towards the nofe; on each 

 fide of the upper lip it has three rows of fmall black 

 fpots, with long whifkers ifiuing from them ; each cheek 

 is marked with long black ftripes, of a circular form, 

 proceeding from the corners of the eyes ; the under part 

 of the body, and infides of the legs, are white ; the in- 

 fide of each fore leg is marked on the upper part with, 

 two black bars ; its tail, which is fhort, is marked with 

 bars of a duiky colour, and at the end with one of a 

 deep-black ; the tip and under fide are white. 



The Lynxes of our days muft be very different animals 

 from thofe which have been defcribed by poets as draw- 

 ing the chariot of Bachus \ for, befides the impractica- 

 bility of training thefe animals to the yoke, we find, that 

 the Lynx is not an inhabitant of India, norof any of the 

 warmer countries of Afia conquered by that hero. — It 

 prefers cold to even temperate climates; and is common 

 In the forefts of the northern parts of Europe, Afia, and 

 America. 



The ancients feem to have given the name of Lynx to 

 an animal which exifted only in imagination, and may be 

 ranked with their other ideal monfters and prodigies,— 

 the Sphynx, the Pegafus, and the Unicorn. — Its fight 

 was faid to penetrate the molt opaque bodies, and its 

 yrine to be converted into a precious ftone. 



