Cape Breton's Magazine

unsuccessful attempts before he was able to get one away from her. The kitten lived two days, and then died from injuries received in its removal from the cage.' Its 'mew' was something like a domestic kitten, but stronger and harsher....Two hours after birth it stood firmly on its feet and turned around in the box, but did not show any inclination to fight. The eyes were open at birth." More recent reporters say the eyes are not open until after about 10 days. It was written of this kitten that the stripes and rows of brown blotches, and small dark stripes below, of which scarcely a, trace remains in the adult, reveals that the Ocelot (Pelis pardalis) is the nearest living relative of the Lynx. Of all the Northern creatures, none are more dependent upon the Rabbits than the Canada Lynx. It lives on Rabbits, follows the Rabbits, thinks Rabbits, tastes like Rabbits, increases with them, and on their failure dies of starvation in the unrab- bited woods. The lynx population varies considerably as shown by the reported num? ber of skins exported or taken on Cape Breton each vear from 1960-61 season till the 1970-71 season: 18, 70, 79, 24, 28, 97, 70, 163, 87, 218, 37. The numbers tend to be dependent on the number of rabbits, but at times unknown factors will cause decline while rabbits are abundant. The Rabbit is the most diseased of our mammals, but the Lynx does not appear to inherit the physical troubles of its victim. Perhaps its method of eating is the reason, as Pruitt describes: "The lynx nuzzled the hot carcass, then nipped the belly skin with his incisors. He held down the carcass with his feet and gripped the belly with his teeth. He pulled sharply and disemboweled the carcass. He flipped aside the steaming stomach, intestines, and caecum, and lapped the blood in the abdominal cavity. Tipping his head sideways, he engaged his ??bladelike carnassial teeth around the thoracic wall and cut the weak ribs. Cutting and pulling, he worked his way through the carcass until nothing was left on the spot but the ears and a long scrap of skin. The hare's hind feet were inedible and Koolex Kleaners CANADA'S FINEST DRY CLEANERS AND SHIRT LAUNDERERS PICK-UP and DELIVERY 804 Victoria Rd. 562-4445 George St. 562-5246 Charlotte St. 564-6477 K-Mart 564-6388 mun mim limited Your Chrysler Dealer 849-5588 McKeen Street Glace Bay STOTT ALUMINUM CORPORATION LTD. Exclusive Distributor Alcan Aluminum Siding New Lurite Finish FOR FREE ESTIMATES CALL 562-5591 COMPARE BEFORE YOU BUY Cape Breton's Magazine/23