Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-01

~ PUGNACTOUS lynx is not to be
IA despised. Not long ago, friend OF
the writer, comrade In many
Ia hunts after the plucky animal, was
strolling through one OF the beauCf
fui live-oak parks that nestle be-
meath the shadows of the Sierra Madres, IN
the San Gabriel Valley, California, when pig
lynx sprang up before him. Ills zz-calipre
rifle was simply an aggravation, and the neA'
moment the animal was upon HIM, cia"ins'
biting and snarling in most vicious man
ner. He was fortunately dubbed OH and
despite the pointer Of my friend, ieaped in'o
the bush and SO carried away whole SKIN.
The sportsman's hunting coat looked as
though it had been slashed with pen-knite
the marks of the sharp claws aimed at MS
throat
Lynx hunting is a prominent feature among
the Southern California sports and pastm.es.
1t is a comfortable sort of exercise, taxing
one among the most attractive hooks and cor
ners of this summer land, yet at times pro
yiding quite as much hard work as is deslr-
able.
My first lynx was taken on the face OF
huge cliff that reaches up from the Arroyo
Seco. The upper portion is covered with
growth of greasewood that affords good cover
for small game, and is known as favorlte
place for at least two varieties of the much
confused genus lynx.
The party, being large one, divided, the
greater number taking to the arroyo bed
where a small stream was rushing along,
while. the rest filed up the slope and followed
the dogs into the cover, keeping back OF
them, yet near enough to beat every foot OF
the ground.
In few minutes, old Ranger, faithful
servltor, who was popularity supposed to
have a distinct taste for the coyote, wildcat
broke the stiffness, was caught up by an
other dog and we knew that game of some
kind was ahead
The dogs had spread out well, and were
rapidly working toward the edge of the cliff,
when their notes suddenly ,quickened, and
cheer me family from below. This meant
that game of some character had been forced
out OF the cover, in view of the hunters in
the arroyo, and soon from the brush stepped
goodsized lynx, in plain sight of all
The animal was not five hundred yards
away, and could easily have been tumbled
over with a bullet. In lynx hunting, how
ever, firearms are tabooed; the dogs and
horses must do the work, while the hunting
knife may be used at the finish, If necessary.
Understanding the cry, we moved quickly
down in the direction of the baying, taking
to little canyon, where we gained view of
the front of the cliff in time to see the ami
mai carefully crawling down the precipiee
that was almost perpendicular
For five minutes the galne was in sight,
the pack baying loudly and keeping abreast
of it two hundred feet above while one dog
had the temerity and claws to attempt to
follow the cat.
Foot by foot the lynx was driven down the
precipiee, until finally, bewildered and alarm
ed, it made rush and bounded on to the
scrub of the arroyo bottom, followed by the
pack in full cry, with the hunt now close be-
hind
The country here was a marsh, overgrown
with hugh sycamores, low brush and bram-
bles interlaced with wild grape, which, in
many instances; had climbed the trees and
fell in graceful festoons over the rushing
stream.
Through this the lynx darted: but the
fock swept around in grand form, and in
few short moments the gamey animal sprana
up the trunk of big sycamore, from where
il glared down at the gathered and pitiless
throng of painting dogs, with red mouths
and cleaning teeth; horses champing with
excitement, and horsemen breathing hard with
the work of the rush and the roughness of the
country.