LEAP OF A WILDCAT HUNTER TELLS OF A REMARKABLE REMARK-ABLE PERFORMANCE. Question It, If a Superannuated One Can Cover Thirty-three Feet at a Jump, How Far Could a Young One 8prlng? "If a superannuated wildcat can Jump thlrty-threo feet with apparent caso, what might wo expect from a young and active ono In tho way of a leap?" ex-Sheriff John W. Hoffman of Plko county, Pa., wanted to know, and no ono could answer him. "I measured a wildcat's Jump once," tho ex-shcrlff continued, "that showed a clear spaco of thlrty-threo feet between be-tween start and finish, and It was a standing Jump at that. Or, rather, It was a sitting Jump, for tho animal was crouching In tho snow when It mado that leap. "I was hunting In tho woods near Llttlo Log Tavern Pond in Plko county coun-ty and enmo upon tho track of tho wildcat. I followed it a long dlstanco In tho snow. "Suddenly tho track ended at n spot whoro it was plain that tho animal had stopped and crouched. I looked around to seo what had become of tho trail, and two rods ahead of mo I saw a bunch of pheasant feathers whoro tho snow had boon scattered about, and from that spot tho wildcat's track led on again. "It wns plain to me then, that tho wildcat had been hunting for Its dinner din-ner and had discovered a pheasant wandering about in tho snow. Tho cat had crept up to within two rods of tho unsuspecting bird, and, thnt clthor bolng near enough to suit Its purposo or as near as It could get without alarming Its proy, had shot itsolt through tho air and landed on top of tho pheasant boforo tho bird, as quick as pheasants aro, could riso and got out of tho way. "Tho wildcat's tracks and tho marks of tho pheasant's blood were so fresh on the snow that I thought thero was a chanco for mo to overtake the prowler boforo it got Into tho Bwamp. I hurried along on tho trail and found that I was closer to tho wildcat than I had suspected, for I overtook it beforo be-foro It had dovourcd its proy. "Not moro than half of tho pheasant, which wns a flno old cock, had passed down tho wildcat's gullet, and tho other half never passed down. I sent a rlflle bullot Into tho wildcat's heart, and it mado another big Jump. That was straight up In tho air. though, and it foil back dead, almost In its tracks. "Judging from tho great length of tho leap tho nnlmnl mado when It captured cap-tured tho pheasant, I expected to find It a young and healthy wildcat. I was consequently very much surprised to find that It was a very old ono. It was poor and lank, with a film over ono eye, and scarcely a tooth left. "So I would llko to know .how far a young and active wildcat might be able to leap, If a superannuated one can cover thlrty-threo feet with evident evi-dent caso. Seems to mo It ought to put olghty or a hundred feet behind It easy enough." Now York Sun.