THE LYNX 
147 
dish brown color showing distinctly against the green 
leaves. He had leaped with the grace and ease that 
only a cat can show. He crouched again, there on 
the limb, still growling his warning, stealing quick 
glances right and left as if ready to flee again, but 
watching the three people below closely. 
“I believe it must be a female, 1 ’ said Uncle Ely. 
“She may have a den back in those rocks, and there 
may be kittens. Otherwise she would take no chances 
on our shooting her; she would have run away ah 
ready . 11 
“Wildcat kittens ! 11 exclaimed Ginger, no longer 
frightened. “I wish we could see them. Are they as 
beautiful as she is, Uncle Ely ? 11 
“No, not quite. You see she has many black spots 
on her fur, which is thick and long. She looks some- 
thing like a lion. The babies are cute, but they squirm 
a great deal, as all little kittens do—until they begin 
to grow up, I mean . 11 
While the children watched the mother lynx Un¬ 
cle Ely began hunting around the rocks and bushes. 
He could see several openings or caves among the 
rocks, but they were too small for him to enter. He 
did look carefully for tracks, however. 
Buck and Ginger soon joined him in the search. 
