Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-29
ABOUT THE CAMP AT NIGHT.

ABOUT THE CAMP AT NIGHT,
and while have spent considerable time
in the most impenetrable parts Of the Ad-
irondacks, where these sounds are sup
posed to be frequent, it was never nv
good fortune to hear the roar of the
American lion; and, moreover. | found
that all old hunters said that it was an
extremely quiet ANIMAL, following its
prey silently.
In South America the natives tell many
stories Of its cunning that are to be re-
ceived with some caution. One of these
tales is that it initiates the bleating of che
deer so accurately that these animals are
lured within its reach.
The greatest pest in Southern California
to the farmer is the wildcat. 1t attains
quite large size among the foothills, and
commits great deDredations in the chicken
yards. A friend recently caught one that
had record OF forty chickens before 1t
was finally trapped; and that the crea.
lures are vicious and will fight when cor
Dered there is little doubt. The same
friend heard noise in his chicken coop
one night some time ago, and going out,
revolver In hand, saw in the dim light a
large cat. He fred twice in rapid sue
cession, when the animal sprang, but
caught the third bullet in mid air and
dropped dead at his feet1
verbal. At one time l followed the AFRO
20 Seco down from the mountain on horse
back with Prof. Wheeler, of the Universi-
ty of California, when as we turned up
a road leading to Orange Grove avenue,
not stones throw from the thickfy
settled portion of Pasadena, the largest
wildcat ever saw, indeed was Inclined
to think 1t the spotted lynx, stepped out
Of the bushes in front OF our horses, sat
down on It's launches and gazed at us,
and finally after each party had satisfied
its scrutiny, it leaped into the bush and
disappeared down the steep sides of the
canyon. neither Of us having any weapons
to stay it. 1t is, as have suggested, not
impossible that it was the spotted lynx,
that ranges south as far as the City OF
Mexico, along the Rio Grande country
and into Southern California. tits, now
ever, quite rare, and have never heard
of specimen having been caught here.
This animal, while 1t seems to differ from
the common lynx. is in reality only va
riety, the animals varying 10 a remark
able way III color and the arrangement
of spots.
WILDCAT HUNTING
may be included in what is called doubt
full sport. Good dogs are needed to tree
the animals, when they can be picked of
Guilty in the way of good, honest sport in
this country lies in the fact that there are
no good hounds, mean foxhounds. After
finding that 1t would cost from $50 to $40
to bring a dog from the East by express,
l made an attempt TO find a thoroughbred
foxhound, but up TO date have failed to
discover him in Southern California,
though my quest developed some of the
most remarkable dogs called hounds it
was ever my good fortune to see.
The deer shooting is very good here in
the season, and with good pack of
thoroughbred Virginia hounds and good
horses some fine sport might be had, and
the game would have fair play. If space
allowed 1 should like to make an appeal
for the American foXhound. Curi0usly
enough, our Auglo-American aniseed fox
hunters Of the East prefer the English
dog, on the ground that it Is English,
probably, when, in point OF fact, Tor our
country, for hard work, the animals are
not up TO 1t. In England foxes are chased
on level ground. but here our bona tde
hunting country is, as a rule, billy, aud
our foxhounds are perfectly adapted for
the work, and certainly in beauty, shape
aud staying power they are without peers.
TO show how thoroughly the American
foxhound is lett out in the cold, there IL
no class for IT in the New York dog show
or the Westminster Kennel Club, and the
American foxbOund is type just as
much as the fine pointers are. 1 refer TO
such dogs as l.. M. Worden's pack of
Rochester, or any now in the pack OF Mr..
Van Dalsen in the Orange mountains.
While / offered to match these dogs that
had an old Virginia pedigree, in the field,
against any English foxhounds, on any
points, it was impossible TO arouse an in
terest, as the American hounds were un-
English. Can not some OF our dog men
do something for the American foxhound?