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occasionally kill sheep, young pigs, calves and chickens; but they 
do not make this a habitual practice, as they live largely on 
cottontail rabbits. 
Timber Wolf ( Cams nublis) . The timber or large gray wolf 
was very rare. One was killed in 1859 (1), one in 1867 (4), 
and one in 1868 (3). One man stated that the timber wolves 
used to catch foxes and that they would eat them when they 
were caught in his traps (3). 
Black Wolf' ( Canis nublis). The black wolves were said to 
have a smaller body (4) but longer legs than the timber wolf 
(3). In 1858 F. M, Cory found a den and captured one of the 
pups which he kept a year. This was the last black wolf seen 
(3). My father and mother both reported a black wolf killed 
in Clinton county in early days or along in the 1860’s. 
Canada Lynx ( Lynx canadensis). All four men reported 
Canada lynxes rare (1, 2, 3, 4). Three were trapped in 1869 
and one in 1875 (3). 
Bob Cat or Wild Cat ( Lynx ruff us ruff us). Bob cats were re- 
ported as being more common than lynx (2, 4). One man re- 
ported many, and that the last one was killed in 1885 (3). 
Panther or Puma (Felis concolor) . I found no definite records 
of the puma, but was told that “Winnebago John,” an old In- 
dian, used to recount adventures with pumas (9), presumably 
along the Raccoon river. Another man reported rumors of their 
being seen along this river, although I do not know whether the 
report referred definitely to Sac county, or not (11). 
Porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum.) . This animal was rare. One 
man reported seeing one that was caught at Grant City in 1857 
(3). One other person reported hearing of them (9). 
Opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) . Opossums were found at 
Grant and Lee groves when the first settlers came (3). For 
many years they were rare, first appearing at Sac City about 
1900 (2). I saw two that were trapped near Wall Lake in 1907 
and one was captured near the same town in 1911. They are 
spreading out oyer the prairie wherever there is a little timber. 
Prairie Hare or White-tailed Jack Rabbit ( Lepus campestris) . 
The earliest settlers report that there were no jack rabbits pres- 
ent at the time of the settlement of the county (2, 3, 4). The 
first record I find is of one seen in the southern half of the 
county in 1868 or 1869 (11). One man' at Lake View saw and 
