The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-26
DeWETT'SWItel hazel SALVE
A certain cure for piles and skin diseases.

he follows belated hunters through
the overhanging branches of the for
est trees, seeking a favorite oppor-
tunity to spring upon his human prey,
are products of the imagination. But
when after a chase he is driven to
take refuge in a tree, where he
crouches in preparation for his last
battle, 1 would prefer, unless armed
with a rife, to interview almost any
other creature of equal weight.
Many years ago the Canadian lynx
was to be found in the mountainous
districts of New England, New York
and Pennsylvania but now he is sell
dom seen far south of the Canadian
border. He is to be met with in Lab
rador and is quite common in certain
parts of the Dominion, where he is
hunted chiefly for ibis skin.
He is somewhat larger than the
common American wildcat Qynx ru-
fus), and moreover, his head is round
ed and broader in proportion than
that of his kinsman. His triangular
furry ears are each tipped with a tuft
of coarse black hair. The general
color of the body is gray, with many
6 irregular darker spots; the fur on the
under side of the body is lighter. Be
ginning at the ears and extending
downward around the throat is a ruff
of longer hair which adds not lit
tie to the animals appearance of fe-
rocity The tail is short thick and
we'll covered with hair.
He is splendidly adapted for the wild
life which he leads. Clad in his thick
winter fur, he can resist the most pene-
trating cold, and when his hunting luck
is against him, as it often it, his great
vitality enables him to exist for many
days without food. His methods of
pursuing and capturing his prey are
very similar to those adopted by the
domestic cat. That is to say, he usual
ly either lies in wait until his vic
Tins unconscious1y come within jump
ing distance or stalks them cautious
ly until he is near enough to venture
a swift rush upon them. His great
strength of limb and his formidable
teeth and claws generally prevent any
successful opposition on the part of his
intended prey. He is a great enemy Of
birds, particularly in the breeding sea-
son. when he will often spring upon
grouse wild geese and others as they
sit upon their eggs or as they travel
about hampered by their helpless little
ones He also preyS upon rabbits,
hares and woodchucks, squirrels, young
fawns and even lambs, and young pigs
if they stray to a reasonable distance
from the barnyard 1t is doubtful if
he ever voluntarily attacks man, but
while wounded and at bay he has first
and last put a good many hunters
out of commission.
The Canadian lxny is a splendid
climber and although he usually trav-s
els for some distance when pur-
sued, he generally takes a tree when
hard pressed. Here he is safe from
practically all his enemies but man.
Sometimes a wildcat will endeaver to
escape by leaping from three to tree
to the ground and it is remarkable
from what a height the creature can
leap without irjuring himself. More
over, he is not the least bit disconnected
by the drop, but, alighting on all tours,
he is prepared to at once do battle
with his enemies. He is also a good
swimmer and more than once canoeists
have been surprised to have him come
aboard in midstream, his idea, no
doubt, being simply to rest from his
exertions. He is not an easy problem
for dog to solve, as he is one mass
of bone and muscle, and when engaged
in fighting seems to bristle with teeth
and claws. Nevertheless, a dog with
plenty of weight, courage and exper-
fence will generally come out first best,
although he may look as though he
had been put through a cotton gin.