to Pontoppidan, these Lynxes remain hidden in their burrows, going out at night and lying in wait for their prey. They
are very choice in their food, and only eat the head or udder of a sheep or goat. The Wild Cat is said to watch them
and steal their food from their burrows. He relates that on a certain occasion, as a Lynx was making his way into a
sheep-fold, he was was discovered by an old he-goat, who, perceiving his subterraneous entrance, watched for him and,
as he was coming forth dragging a sheep with him, butted him with such force and good will as to lay him dead.
The Thibetan form of this species was described by Blyth [I. c.) as Felis isabellina, the distinction which he chiefly
regarded as specific being the much larger naked pads of the feet and toes, as compared with those of the European
Red Lynx. I cannot but consider this character, if it really is one, altogether too superficial to warrant the belief
that the Thibetan animal should be separated from the European. The amount of fur existing upon the soles of the
feet naturally varies among individuals, and also at different seasons of the year, although Blyth states the Thibetan
Lynx has this more scanty at all seasons. I do not, however, think this slight difference is at all suflScient to constitute
its possessors a distinct species. As to the colouring of the fur, this, as stated by Blyth, varies much according to the
season. In one specimen in his possession, which was in lull summer dress, the pelage was short and of a uniform
dull sandy-brown colour, deeper and more rufous along the back, and grizzled with whitish-tipped and also some black-
tipped hairs, which on the sides were diffused more scantily. The lower parte were white, with some scattered dusky
spots, and some not very conspicuous markings of a deeper hue on the outer side of the limbs; face and whiskers as in
the Red Lynx. Another specimen was paler, a light isabelline hue predominating; in certain lights the markings of the
summer dress of the European Lynx could be discerned upon the sides of the croup; and the spots on the legs and sides
were comparatively distinct, the blackish bars on the inside of the fore limbs being well developed. The winter dress is
of a nearly uniform fine rufous cream-colour, the hairs whitish-tipped, with black at the extreme tips, producing a grizzled
appearance, the isabelline hue beneath being less deep than in the European Lynx; sides paler and longer-haired, as
usual, and the colour purer, passing to white underneath mixed with black hairs that grow on the spots.
A specimen of this species (as I consider it) in the Paris Museum, from Thibet, and which would be the same as the
F. isabellina of Blyth, bears the MS. name of F. fagesii, A. Milne-Edwards. The hair is of a lighter hue than the
summer coat of F. lynx, and perhaps slightly longer, but not more so than would be expected from the northern habitat
of the animal. The specimen is grey, inclining to rufous upon the back, shoulders, and hind quarters, the underparts
being white. The legs are covered on the outside with small brownish black spots; and the inside of the fore legs has
three indistinct bars of the same colour. The ears are edged with black on their hinder surface, and possess long black
haiiy tips. The tail is reddish for the basal two thirds of its length, the rest black. This example does not, in my opinion,
represent a species distinct from F lynx; and I have therefore placed the MS. name among the synonyms given above.
A British-Museum specimen, marked F. isabellina, also from Thibet, resembles the one described above, except that the
spots oh the legs are very indistinct, almost ,obsolete, and the tail is grey for its basal half, not reddish, the rest black.
General colour of the specimen very light grey; belly white; whiskers and ears tipped with black.
Prom Blyth s descriptions and the specimens I have examined from Thibet, we may conclude that the animals from
that country are the same as Felix lynx, but lighter in the general colour of their pelage.
General colour light red, inclining to brown upon the head; flanks, loins, and legs thickly covered with small spots
of very dark brown. Cheeks, throat, belly, and inside of legs pure white. Tail red like the back, black for about
2j inches from the tip. Upper and under bps crossed with three or more conspicuous black lines. Whiskers small.
Ears behind light grey in the centre, edged and tipped with black. Nose to root of tail 31 inches, tail 9 | inches.
The skull, viewed in profile, shows a very greatly arched upper outline, caused by the high forehead, and in this respect
resembles that of F. pardina. The nasals are broad, and at their frontal articulation extend beyond the processes of
the maxillas. As m all Lynxes, the processes of the prefrontals and premaxillas are very long and slender, almost
completely separating the maxillas from the nasals. The orbits are incomplete; and the infraorbital foramina are large
and oblong in shape. Brain-case long and prominently rounded posteriorly. There is a slight postoccipital crest.
Auditory bullae large, oblong, narrowing anteriorly. Mastoid foramen oblong, well open. Lower outline of mandibular
ramus nearly straight from symphysis to angle. Canines long and stout; molars well developed. Description from
specimen in British Museum, from Sweden, No. 1230 b. It differs externally from the skull of F. cervaria in the Museum
in its higher forehead, shorter and rather broader form, and absence of median crest on the postfrontals.