4 
the skin. It must not be supposed that these animals are domesticated cats 
turned wild; far from it, they are really not cats at all, but the Barred Lynx of 
British North America. They are large, wild, and tierce, and would kill the 
hounds if left alone. It is a fact that they kill lambs and poultry. Wonderful 
stories are told of what they will do if rendered savage by hunger, such as 
springing from trees upon people, and there is a tale of one having attacked 
a man while he was seated upon a wagon driving along the road. Be this as it 
may, old hunters declare, that if they were unarmed, they would rather not meet 
a wild cat alone in the woods. The so-called cat-hounds met 16 times, killed 
six cats and ran four to earth. The largest weighed 32 lbs. and measured 40 
inches from snout to tail. It and another have now been mounted and set up in 
suitable cases, and are placed in the Mess Billiard-room, where they make excel¬ 
lent trophies. They have splendid skins. Their tails are very short and thick. 
There is a curious incident which should be related :—After one cat was killed the 
wire noose of a snare was found embedded in its neck, which it had probably 
been carrying about with it for years. When the animal was skinned that 
portion ot the skin round the head and neck separated from the rest, just as if it 
had been cut with a knife. 
This month Major McDonnell, Captain Yunge-Bateman and 2nd Lieut. 
Lyddon have been out moose hunting. They went separately, and at different 
times. The two former tried Cumberland County, but were unsuccessful, owing 
to want of snow. The latter tried Shelbourne County, where he bagged a tine 
young bull moose weighing about 600 lbs. 2nd Lieut. Lyddon, who has not 
been out before, is being congratulated on all sides on his good fortune. 
The period which has elapsed since the last “ Notes ” were contributed has 
been marked by the departure of three officers, and, although two of them were 
not R.A. officers, the events may, nevertheless, be of regimental interest. Major 
Mansel, Rifle Brigade, has left us to retire from the service. He was well known 
to Gunners in India from 1882-6, as A.D.C. to Sir John Ross, at Poona. Out 
here he was military secretary to the same distinguished General. Major Mansel 
will be remembered at Halifax, for a long time, as the reviver of polo. Prior to 
his leaving he was entertained at the R.A. and R.E. Mess, at a dinner party of 35, 
to which all the polo players in the place were invited. Some amusing speeches 
followed, the burden of which was “ polo.” 
Surgeon-General McDowell has also left us on retirement from the service. 
He is a C.B. and had seen a great deal of active service. He was a P.M.O. of 
the good old style, and will be very much missed, both officially and socially, 
especially the latter. Five years ago he was quartered at Woolwich, where his 
daughter was married to a Captain in the Regiment. 
Captain and Mrs. Mullins left on 20th December. He has gone home to join 
the Long Course. We hope to see them both out here again in a year’s time. 
Lieut.-Colonel A. A. Saunders arrived on 22nd December from Plymouth, and 
has assumed command of the R.A. Halifax District. He is not accompanied by 
his family. 
The following cutting from a Halifax local paper, dated 18th December, may 
be amusing, and is a fair sample of their style of serving up news :— 
May Hear a Crack Band. 
“The Royal Artillery band at Woolwich, it is likely, will be heard in Canada 
next year. The Admiralty and Horse Guards Gazette says : ‘ A pressing invi¬ 
tation has come to the Royal Artillery band to cross the Atlantic to perform on 
highly favourable terms a series of concerts at Montreal. The decision of the 
Cominander-in-Chief is not as yet known but Cavalier Zavertal and his musicians 
have, we believe, accepted the offer. The Royal Artillery would be bereft of their 
orchestra for a period of six weeks in the autumn of 1892 should the necessary 
leave be granted.’ This band is the strongest military band in England. If it 
