436 
CARNIVORES. 
presence of the rudiment of the heel, which is found fully developed in that of the 
hyaenas. 
In colour the caracal varies from a uniform rufous fawn-colour to a brownish- 
rufous ; the under-parts being either a paler rufous or white, and frequently marked 
with obscure rufous spots. The limbs and tail are coloured like the body, although 
in some individuals the tip of the tail may be black. The outer sides of the ears 
are either partially or completely black, while their interiors are white. The 
length of the head and body varies from 26 to 30 inches, and that of the tail from 
9 to 10 inches; the height at the shoulder being from 16 tp 18 inches. 
This species is sometimes known as the Persian, and at others as the red lynx, 
but the latter name is properly applied to a North American variety of the true 
lynx. Although a rare animal everywhere, the caracal is spread over the greater 
part of India, with the exception of Bengal, the Malabar coast, and the Eastern 
Himalaya. It is unknown to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal, but towards the 
south-west it is found in Mesopotamia, and perhaps the Persian highlands. It is 
also found in Arabia; and over a large portion of Africa it is the sole repre¬ 
sentatives of the lynxes. 
We have little or no information as to the habits of the caracal in Africa, and 
only a scant record of its mode of life in India. Mr. Blanford considers, however, 
that it probably dwells among grass and bushes, rather than in forests. Its prey 
is stated to consist largely of gazelles, the smaller species of deer, hares, pea-fowl, 
florican, cranes, and other birds; and so active is the creature, that it is asserted to 
have the power of springing up and capturing birds on the wing at a height of five 
or six feet above the ground. The caracal is easily tamed, and in some parts of 
India is trained to capture several of the animals mentioned above as forming its 
natural prey. Blytli records that it is a favourite amusement among the 
natives to let loose a couple of tame caracals among a flock of pigeons feeding on 
the ground, when each of them will strike down as many as ten birds before the 
flock can escape. It is believed that the expression “ lynx-eyed ” owes its origin 
to this species. 
The Lynx (Felis lynx). 
Few animals have given rise to more discussion among zoologists, in regard to 
the number of species into which they should be divided, than the true lynxes; 
some authorities regarding those found in North America as representing three 
species quite distinct from the typical Old World lynx, while others are disposed to 
consider the whole four as mere varieties of a single species. It was likewise at 
one time considered that there were two Old World lynxes occurring to the north 
of the Alps; one being the common lynx of Europe, and the other the Tibetan 
lynx. It has now, however, been shown that these two varieties pass imperceptibly 
into each other; but to the south of the Alps, the so-called pardine lynx is regarded 
as probably a distinct species. Without committing ourselves definitely to any one 
view, we shall treat of the whole of these various forms of lynxes, with the 
exception of the pardine lynx, under a single heading. 
The true lynxes are mainly a northern group, being unknown in Africa,, 
