. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . rts of the body are whitish, spotted with black,and the tail, which is of the same ground color with the body, is also cover-ed with blackish, spots. The tail of the specimen in the Tower does notexceed six or seven inches, but, as it ends abruptly, it has, in all probability,been shortened by some accident. The animal in the Tower was sent from Trinidad, under the name ofthe Peruvian tiger. It is extensively spread over the American conti-nent, being found in t
. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . rts of the body are whitish, spotted with black,and the tail, which is of the same ground color with the body, is also cover-ed with blackish, spots. The tail of the specimen in the Tower does notexceed six or seven inches, but, as it ends abruptly, it has, in all probability,been shortened by some accident. The animal in the Tower was sent from Trinidad, under the name ofthe Peruvian tiger. It is extensively spread over the American conti-nent, being found in the widely separated regions of Mexico and Para-guay, where it abides in the depths of the forests during the day, andgives chase at night to birds and small quadrupeds. As it is an activeclimber, it follows the birds even to their nests. It is easily tamed, saysMr Bennett, but seldom loses all trace of its natural ferocity. , speaks of one which was so completely domiciliated, as to be lefat perfect liberty; it was strongly attached to its master, and never attempted to make its escape. MAMMALIA-LYNX. 195 THE LYNX. >I||III1S== Is an animal more commonly found in cold than in temperate climates;and is, at least, very rare in hot ones. Bory St Vincent, however, assuresus that he shot several in Spain. It is abundant in the northern parts ofEurope, Asia, and America. The lynx of the Greeks and Romans was notthe animal which now bears that name, but the caracal. The lynx, of which the ancients have said, that the sight was so sharpas to penetrate opaque bodies, and of which the urine was made to possessthe marvellous property of hardening into a solid substance, a precious stonecalled lapis lyncurius, is an animal which never existed, any more than allthe properties attributed to it, but in fable. To the present lynx, or to thecaracal, this imaginary one has no affinity, but in name. We must not,therefore, as the generality of naturalists have hitherto done, attrib
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