46 



long and narrow hind foot of the feline quadruped, which is 

 the highest and most typical of the Carnivora. 



With the exception of the Dingo no true Carnivore exists 

 in Australia, and that wild dog may have as little claim to 

 be considered an autochthon as the low variety of Man, with 

 whom it is sometimes associated in a half-tamed state. 



The genus Ursus is represented by species indigenous to 

 Europe, Asia, Africa, and America ; but those of the temper- 

 ate and warmer latitudes of the New World are distinct from 

 the species of the Old World. Certain plantigrade genera, 

 e.g. Procyon (Racoons), Nasua (Coati-mondis) and Gercol&p- 

 tes (Kinkajous) are peculiarly American: other plantigrade 

 genera, e. g. Mydaus, Ailurus, and Arctictis, are peculiarly 

 Asian. 



The genus Hysena is limited to the Old World, and one 

 species (H. crocuta) to Southern Africa. 



The Skunks (Mephitis) are peculiar to America; the viver- 

 rine Carnivores to the Old World. 



The great fulvous felines (Leo) of Africa and Asia are 

 represented in America by the smaller Pumas : the Old 

 World spotted felines by the Jaguars : the great striped 

 felines (Tigris) are now restricted to Asia. 



The principle of the more specialized character of actual 

 organisations receives illustration in the genetic history of the 

 present order. 



The genera Felis and MacJiairodus, with their curtailed 

 and otherwise modified dentition and their strong short jaws, 

 become, thereby, more powerfully and effectively destructive 

 than the eocene Hycenodons and miocene Pterodons, with 

 their numerically typical dentition and their three carnassial 

 teeth on each side of the concomitantly prolonged jaws, could 

 have been. 



In the most strictly carnivorous GYRENCEPHALA the paw is 

 perfected as an instrument for retaining and lacerating a strug- 

 gling prey by the superadded elastic structures for retracting 

 the claws and maintaining them sharp. We next find in 



