the lower part of the throat. Tip of the muzzle and chin white; a spot in front of the eye, and a line beneath the eye, of the same colour; belly, inner side and hinder part of fore-legs, white also. An irregular black line running across the lower part of the chest, and extending over the base of the fore-legs externally; above this line two other transverse dark markings more or less defined on the chest. On the fore-legs three broad black bands, two of which

encircle the leg: on the posterior legs about five black bands externally, and some irregular dark spots internally. Feet yellowish, and under side of tarsus of a slightly deeper hue. On the belly numerous large irregular black spots.

Ears moderate, with long white hairs internally; externally of the same colour as the head, except at the apex, where the hairs are black, and form a slight tuft. Tail short, somewhat bushy, and devoid of dark rings or spots; the hairs are in fact coloured as those on the back. "On the upper part of the body each hair is brown at the base, then yellow, and at the apex black.

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On the hinder part of the back the hairs are almost black at the base, and on the sides of the body each hair is gray at the base; there is then a considerable space of yellowish-white colour: towards the apex they are white, and at the apex black. The greater number of the hairs of the moustaches white. Length, from nose to root of tail, twenty-six inches; of tail, fur included, eleven inches. Height of body at shoulders, thirteen inches. Size about equal to that of the common wild cat of Europe; but the Pampas cat is stouter, its head smaller, and its tail shorter. (Waterhouse.)

This cat was known to Azara, but till recently European naturalists were but little acquainted with it. Fischer, in his ' Synopsis Mammalium,' put it among

those species that are not well determined. Azara says that the natives call this animal Gato pajero, because it lives on the plains, concealing itself in jungles without entering the woods or thickets. Whether this species exists in Paraguay, Azara states, was a point he could not determine, but that it might perhaps have been formerly seen there before the country became well peopled. He caught four in the Pampas of Buenos. Ayres, between 35° and 36° S. lat., and three others on the Rio Negro. They are found, he adds, on both sides of La Plata. Its food consists principally of apereas, or wild guinea-pigs.

According to Mr. Darwin ('Zoology of the Beagle'), this cat inhabits Santa Cruz, Patagonia, and Bahia Blanca.

"This animal," observes Mr. Darwin, "takes its name from paja, the Spanish word for straw,' from its habit of frequenting reeds. It is common over the whole of the great plains which compose the eastern side of the southern part of America. From the accounts I received I have reason to believe that it is found near the Strait of Magellan, which would give it a range of nearly 1400 miles in a north and south line," for Azara states that it is to be found as high north 30° S. lat. One of Mr. Darwin's specimens was obtained at 50° S., at Santa Cruz it was met with in a valley where a few thickets were growing. When disturbed it did not run away,

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but drew itself up and hissed. The other specimen which Mr. Darwin brought to England was killed at Bahia Blanca.

THE Lynx. The name of lynx is applied by zoologists to a subdivision of the Felidæ, well marked externally, and regarded by some as entitled to a distinct generic rank. About eight species are described, but there is still considerable confusion among those which are natives of America. The available characters which the lynxes present consist in the pencils which tuft the ears, in the shortness of the tail, and the proportionate elevation of the body at the haunches.

The lynx is one of those animals respecting which many absurd fables have been popularly current, but which are now in no danger of being revived. Pliny (lib. vii., 25) classes the lynx among the monstrous productions of Æthiopia, in the existence of which he seems to have implicitly believed. The lynx is often alluded to iby the ancient poets, but from many expressions we easily perceive that they had no very precise ideas about the animal ; the lynx of poetry was sometimes a leopard or panther. Virgil calls the lynxes of

. Bacchus “variæ,” and in another place alludes to the skin of the spotted lynx (“maculosæ lyncis ”).

The representations of lynxes on antique gems and sculptures are as unsatisfactory and vague as the allusions in classic poetry. Still, however, the lynx described by Aristotle, Ælian, and Oppian was, it must be confessed, not one of these doubtful creatures, but a definite species, and, as we think, the caracal.

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The CARACAL. (Felis Caracal.) This animal derives its modern name from the Turkish, cara, black, and kulash, ear. Its Persian name has the same meaning, Sugab-gush or Sia-gusch (sia, black, qusch, ear). It is widely distributed, being found in Persia, India, Barbary, Nubia, Egypt, and the whole of

Africa to Caffraria, Turkey, and Arabia. The general colour of the body is of a pale reddish-brown, with a vinous tinge; the lower parts are paler. Two spots of pure white are near each eye, one on the inner side of and above the eye, the other beneath its outer angle. The edges of the upper lip, the chin, and lower lip are white, as are the insides of the limbs. The whiskers rise from a series of black lines. The ears are long and tapering, and are surmounted by a pencil of long black hairs; their colour externally is black. The tail reaches only to the heel or hock-joint. (Fig. 44.) Tem

muscular, and its whole contour denotes great activity. The caracal feeds on small quadrupeds and birds, the latter of which it pursues even to the tops of the trees. It is said to follow the lion and other large beasts of prey for the purpose of feeding on what they leave. The caracal leaps upon its victim and holds it with remarkable tenacity, as was noticed by Ælian. Oppian also alludes to its mode of springing upon hares, deer, &c. According to Temminck, these animals are in the habit of hunting in packs, like wild dogs, and of running down their prey ; most probably they creep towards it like the cheetah, and spring suddenly upon it. (Fig. 45.) Pennant, quoting Thévénot, states that they are often brought up tame, and used in the chase of lesser quadrupeds and the larger sort of birds, as cranes, pelicans, peacocks, &c., and that when they seize their prey they hold it fast with their mouth and lie motionless on it. He also adds, on the authority of Hyde, that the Arabians, who call it Anak-el-ard, affirm that it hunts like the panther, jumps up at cranes as they fly, and covers its steps when hunting.

În captivity the caracal is very irritable, often displaying great ferocity. Of its fierceness and strength Dr. Charleton gives evidence, for he relates that he saw one fall on a hound, which it killed and tore to pieces in a moment, although the dog defended itself to the utmost. It would appear, from our repeated personal observations, that few animals of the feline race are more impatient of confinement. Excepting in the instance of very young examples, we never knew one that would suffer the approach of strangers without exhibiting tokens of savage anger. Apparently annoyed by the light, they retire to a corner of their den, and tħere crouch in sullen and suspicious mood, repelling every attempt towards familiarity by a snarl.

When thus irritated the ears are drawn down close to the head, the eyes glare with an expression of malignant fury, and the teeth are displayed, while, at the same time, they utter a deep hissing not unlike that of a cat, and very