The Eurasian Lynx (Lynx Lynx) in early modern Scotland

Abstract

Gessner's Historia animalium preserves scholarly opinions from naturalists and humanists from across sixteenth-century Europe. One such view comes from Bonarus of Balice, south-east Poland. Bonarus attests that although the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx Lynx) is common throughout central and eastern Europe, the best skins come from Sweden and, surprisingly, Scotland. After exploring evidence about who Bonarus was and why he might have written to Gessner, this essay builds up two possible explanations for Bonarus's opinion that Lynx populations were present in sixteenth-century Scotland: Either, native populations of European Lynxes may have still been present in Scotland in the sixteenth century; British Lynx remains have been dated to the sixth century. The Lynx could possibly have survived longer without being noticed in records if it was customarily called a “cat”, like other large felids. However, other than Bonarus's attestation, there is only tentative positive evidence consistent with this interpretation; most importantly the ambiguous testimony of Robert Sibbald in 1684. Or, Scotland may have “tricked” Bonarus by importing and then re-exporting fine, exotic furs. There is evidence that Scotland had a major fur industry. Eurasian Lynx fur had a high status. Furs were commonly re-exported in the fourteenth century. Scots merchants often imported high-status furs like Lynx into Poland in the sixteenth century, suggesting that Bonarus had the highest possible chance of seeing Scottish-fashioned Lynx furs. This essay argues that, on balance of the evidence, the second interpretation is the stronger of the two, although the first is also possible.

An 18th century reference to a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Scotland.

“…The Oxford English Dictionary records that the bobcat (Lynx rufus) has been regularly called the 'wildcat' in the USA since before Pococke's Tour of Scotland. Even in Middle English, the term 'cat of the mountain' had a wide usage, and according to glosses, apparently referred to the leopard (Panthera pardus) as well as what is now called the wildcat (Felis silvestris) (Raye 2017). Additional references to lynxes may remain to be found concealed behind the term 'wild cat'.…”

“…Further evidence is provided by historical and literary sources which post-date these remains and arguably might refer to native or imported lynxes (Raye 2016;Hetherington & Geslin 2018). For example, Conrad Gessner's Historia Animalium (1551) states that Scottish and Swedish lynxes produce the most beautiful spotted fur, although this could just be a reference to a fur reexport business (Raye 2017). This paper analyses another possible reference to a lynx in Pococke's Tour of Scotland (1760).…”

Genetic Swamping of the Critically Endangered Scottish Wildcat Was Recent and Accelerated by Disease

“…The remaining extant population is fragmented across the Scottish Highlands. Following the extinction of the lynx (Lynx lynx), which likely took place in the 7th century CE, 16,17 wildcats are now the only extant wild felid species in Britain and the most endangered mammalian carnivore. 18 Habitat-based estimates of wildcat population size suggest that between 30 and 430 individuals remain in the wild.…”