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Tunis Brady LbNA #9069 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jul 6, 2004
Location:
City:Ringing Rocks
County:Bucks
State:Pennsylvania
Boxes:1
Found by: Eagle & Teapot
Last found:May 14, 2005
Status:FFFFFFaa
Last edited:Jul 6, 2004
Bucks County News - Headline January 20, 1922 Wild Cat caught in Tinicum Twp. Rare Animal, Suppose to be Nearly Extinct, Trapped by 16 year old Lad.

Tunis Brady 16 year old son of Joseph, on Cook premises, on the edge of the State Auxiliary game preserve in the tinicum boulder field is where this lad trapped his fame.

If it was true. This capture is said to be the only authenticated taking of a wild cat anywhere in the county said Game Protector Warren Fetz. But he wanted to see it with his own eyes he followed the well-marked trail and passed the boulder field on the left and continued down the rock-strewn trail.
For three years residents have known of some strange wild creature, which uttered an “unearthly” yell at night. So terrifying most people didn’t go outside after dark.
Young Brady tracked two animals passed some huge rocks. He mentioned they had sprung the traps three times without getting caught. They continued on as Tunis explained that the male was securely caught with one hind foot in the trap and that he had attempted to kill it with a club, but the animal put up such a fight that the boy feared he would break free of the trap so he procured a rifle and shot the animal in the head. He believed his female companion was not far watching him from the streams edge in the rocks.
They crossed a large rock bed where water flows and followed a thin trail to the left.
Just down a root-strewn trail to the right in a pile of rocks he saw the “trap” Fetz took out a notepad he had carried with him and began to document the animal. The cat had powerful claws and teeth, and it heads is large in proportion to its body. It apparently has not an ounce of surplus flesh, being sinewy and wiry, and yet weighs eight and a half pounds. Its body length is 20 inches and it stands 13 inches high. Its front legs are seven inches long and its back legs are 13 inches long. Its fur was a sandy gray, with some yellow and buff color, but particularly noticeable is the dark line that runs from the shoulder down the spine to the end of the tail. The top of its head is black and its white and bristly feelers were stiff and rather abundant.
The capture of the Nockamixon wild cat is most likely to cause a stir in scientific circles, because of the rarity of the incident. The carcass will be in the possession of the Game Protector and will be exhibited at the Bucks County Fish, Game and Forestry Association meeting. My favorite part of this true story is that Miss Elizabeth C. Cox of Holicong writes an article to appear in the following paper. “Species Not So Nearly Extinct as Many Naturalists Think. Its Habits are Nocturnal”. She refers to the Philadelphia Zoo were a species called the “Indian Devil” a cat smaller than a bobcat yet still very wild was kept in captivity. She mentions that at night she carries a pistol as protection against such cats, she also warns if you have meat in your carriage to throw the meat to it and get away as quickly as possible. She says these cats are by no means uncommon here; just simple nocturnal. Miss Cox is a most careful investigator and a most conscientious naturalist in Bucks County, and hoped that other naturalist make similar inquires. Love the fact that it was a woman who figured this out.
My question now – where is this stuffed wildcat today??