Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-01-22
WILD CATS.

WILD CATS.
Something About the Various Species
Found I'm tho United States.
First on the list Of American vile
cats comes thepanther (Felis concolor)
It is a large, powerful and handsome
animal. Its body reaches a length O
four and one-haf feet; its color above
is tawny yellow, beneath greyish white
its limbs are short and heavy, and the
whole contour of the animal shows
compactness, agility and strength in 8
high degree. The panther is found
over the entire continent of America uI
to fifty-fve degrees north latitude. o.
no other animal in our country are Sc
many fabulous stories afioat, but in re-
ality it is a retiring and timid animal,
living only in wild and mountainous
districts, and rarely indeed does it,
even when pressed by hunger, carry of
q calf, pig or sheep from some isolated
farm house; nevertheless it is at times
guilty of such thefts. Young deer,
opossums, rabbits, grouse and other
small animals form its usual food
/ know of but one or two reliable in
stances of a panther attacking man,
except when the animal was desper-
ately wounded and unable to escape.
Several have been killed by my per-
sonal trends, and in no case did the
animal made any resistance, only striv-
ing its utmost to escape. / know of
several instances where it has been
killed with a club, the hunter climbing
up the tree in which it had taken ref
uge, and either killing the animal there,
or shaking it down, to be killed by his
companion below. Indeed this animal
can hardly be considered as danger
Gus" as a powerful buck of our com.
mon deer during the rutting season!
The cougars this species is also
called-is silent animal, seldom ut
tering any other cry than a low growl.
The cries usually attributed to it really
emanate from the great horned owl,
the fox, or the common wild cur.
This beautiful species of cat is nearly
exterminated in most States east of the
Mississippi; a few yet remain in the
widest localities. 1t is not necessary
to suggest any means of disposing of
the panther, for should one be SO un-
fortunate as to show itself in any set
tied district, all the men, boys and dogs
of the neighborhood sally out after it,
and sooner or later the poor animal is
borne home in triumph, pierced by
countless buckshot, and mangled by a
score of NANCY ours!
The Canada lynx Qynx Canadensis)
is a much smaller species than the pre-
ceding, being but three feet in length,
and seldom weighing more than twenty
five pounds, even when very fat. The
feet are very large, and densely furred
beneath in the winter season. The tri-
angular ears are tipped by an upright
tuft of coarse, black hairs. The gem
eral color is grey, clouded with
over the greater portion of North
America north of the Southern States,
and is found in many localities where
the panther has been long extinct. In
the thinly settled portions of our North
ern States and Canada the farmer not
infrequently has some of his sheep or
young pigs killed and dragged off by
the Canada lynx; turkeys, from their
wandering habits, also frequently fall
prey to this species of cat. But it
seldom disturbs the poultry house. al
most always avoiding a near approach
to the habitations Of man. Its usual
food consists of rabbits, squirrels,
grouse, young fawns, and the like.
The female lynx has two cubs yearly,
and is most affectionate mother to
her offspring.
The skin Of this animal is valuable,
and many are annually trapped for
their fur. The lynx may be caught in
a powerful steel trap baited with a
newly killed fowl, but the only eligible
mode of destroying it is by the merry
rifle and the help of a well-trained
hound or two, When pursued by dogs,
the lynx always ascends tree, and
may then be easily shot by the hunter,
it being too large an animal to hide it
self among the branches in the manner
of the common wild cat.
The American wild cat Qynx rufus)
seldom reaches two and half feet in
length. and rarely weighs more than six
teen pounds. Its ears are tufted like
those of the Canada lynx, but its feet
are small, and the soles naked. The
color is brown, with darker mottlings.
The wild cat is found throughout the
United States, and northward to lati-
tude sixty degrees. In the Southern
States it is particularly abundant, and
there makes great havoc among the
turkeys, ducks and geese
of the planter. The scat is purely
an enemy, for its appetite is cpl
curean, and confined to ''game and
poultry" and only when pressed by
hunger does it prey upon the small
and destructive rodentia - domestic
fowls, grouse, cartridges, wild turkeys
and rabbits forming its usual food.
The home of this animal is usually
tree, hollow some feet above the
ground. Here, on bed of leaves, in
the early spring, the female brings
forth from two to four young. Even
when captured very young, the wild
cat is scarcely tamable; it will become
to confinement, and even
take food from the hand, but it is ill
natured and uncertain, seldom losing
an opportunity to bite or scratch, and
much cunning in capturing
the poultry that come within reach of
its chain.
The wild cat is nocturnal, but not
hunts also in the day
time 1t is good swimmer, and read
lily takes to the water when pursued by
dogs, or wishing to cross pond or
river. The usual cry of this species is
much like that of the domestic cat, for
which it is not infrequently mistaken.
The fur is not very close and the skin
possesses little value.
When hunted with hounds, the '.cat"
often exhibits a cunning but little in
ferior to that of the fox When started,
he will make for the nearest briary
field, and there double and run in cir
Giles, crossing and recrossing his track,