CLASS MAMMALIA. 



Order vii. Carnivora, Carnivores. 



The CARNIVORA, as now restricted, comprises the flesh-eating 

 animals of the world. They are arranged in two groups, the planti- 

 grade, or those that walk on the sole of the foot like the Bears, and 

 digitigrade, or those that walk on their toes like the Cats. 



The Order comprises many different forms, and beside the terms 

 given above, its members are also called Fissiped Carnivora, or those 

 whose existence is mainly terrestrial, and Pinniped Carnivora, or 

 those whose structure is modified for living constantly in the water, 

 like the Walrus and Seals. The larger Terrestrial Carnivora are, 

 par excellence, the preying beasts of the earth, delighting in destruc- 

 tion, and living a life of rapine and violence, to be usually termi- 

 nated by a tragical death. Their only law is that which demands 

 "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"; mercy and compassion 

 are unknown virtues; their strength, cunning, and ferocity is arrayed 

 against the ability of all other creatures, and in their natural state 

 they stand alone on the earth, not knowing a single friend. And 

 yet, withal, they are amply endowed with means for their own pro- 

 tection, and while they may not always cope successfully with the 

 greatest of all their enemies Man yet even he is often vanquished 

 by their sagacity, and in personal conflict overcome by their superior 

 endurance and strength. 



One species only among the Cats may be said to be habitually 

 domesticated, or if that seems too strong a term, semi-domesticated, 

 the Hunting Leopard (Cynailurus jubatus) which is kept in India 

 for the chase of the Black-buck chiefly, and which has many dog-like 

 qualities, and exhibits at times considerable affection for its keeper. 

 But this animal is an exception, and in its natural state is as savage 

 as any of the other Cats. While pre-eminently flesh-eaters, some 

 members of the Order are omnivorous, like the bears, which will eat 

 anything, and some few are partly vegetarians. The species are 

 generally armed with more or less sharp, powerful claws, very for- 

 midable in the bears and cats, and the members of the latter family 

 protect these from injury when not in use by withdrawing them into 

 a sheath. The bones of the skeleton are generally slender, yet very 

 strong, and those of the cats resemble ivory; while the teeth are 

 large and powerful, the sectorial or true molar being composed of a 



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