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Show 324 The L. fasciatus or Columbia River race differs from rufus in its more uniform and darker ( chestnut rather than reddish) coloration, by the markings on the dorsal surface and sides of the body being nearly obsolete, and the fuller, softer far, which is about as heavy and soft as in canadensis. We have hence, in this form, only another instance of the duller, darker, and more uniform coloration that characterizes the greater part of the Mammals ( and many Birds also) from the humid, heavily- wooded Columbia River region, as compared with their conspe-cific allies of the other portions of the continent. L. canadensis differs from these several southern races mainly as the northern representatives of a given species usually differ from its southern representatives, namely, in its softer and longer pelage, more heav-ily- clothed feet, longer ear- tufts, paler or grayer general color, and more indistinct markings, and especially in a tendency to entire obsolescenceof the markings on the lower surface of the body and inner side of the legs. The tail has a shorter area of black at the end, and Tacks the white on the lower surface at the extreme tip, so constantly seen in the other forms. The tail is but little, if any, shorter, although the greater length and thickness of the fur give it that appearance. There is, however, a tendency to a greater length of tail to the southward. Its supposed greater size and larger limbs are also due almost wholly to the greater fullness and length of the pelage, the fresh carcass ( in a specimen from Houlton, Me.) with the skin removed giving the same measurements as in L. rufus ( a specimen from Colorado). The prior name for the group of American Lynxes is undoubtedly rufus of Galdenstadt ( 1776), which antedates by about forty years Ra-finesque's names of canadensis, montanus, and flaridanus ( 1817). The L mamlatus of Horsfield and Vigors ( 1829), which was admitted as a valid species by Baird, but regarded as merely a variety of ru/ us by Audubon and Bachman, is evidently subspecifically indistinguishable from the true rufus of authors. L. fasciatus of Bafinesque ( based on the " Tiger Oat" of Lewis and Clarke, from the Columbia River region) is far more tangible, sufficiently so to be properly recognizable as a subspecies ( Lynx rufus subsp. fasciatus). The L. canadensis of authors seems to have even still stronger claims for nominal recognition, though the differences are still clearly such as characterize geographical races. We hence believe its relationship to the rest of the group is better indicate! by a name ( L. rufus subsp. canadensis) indicating subspecific rather than speeffio rank. A single adult skull ( from Sweden) of the large Lynx of the northern pails of the Old World { Lynx borealis) exceeds in size by an inch the largest specimens of the American Lynxes, and hence seems to indicate an animal fully one- fifth larger than even exceptionally large specimens of L. rufus. |