236 A BOOK-LOVER'S HOLIDAYS 



an agile creature, apt at the pursuit of light and 

 swift prey. By rugged strength and by the 

 development of its terrible stabbing and cutting 

 dagger teeth, that is, by sheer fighting abihty, 

 it was fitted for attack upon and battle with 

 the massive herbivores then so plentiful. It 

 must indeed have been a fearsome beast in 

 close grapple. Doubtless with its sharp, re- 

 tractile claws it hung onto the huge bodies of 

 elephant, camel, and ground-sloth, of horse and 

 bison, while the sabres were driven again and 

 again into the mortal parts of the prey and 

 slashed the flesh as they withdrew. It seems 

 possible that the mouth was opened wide and 

 stabbing blows delivered, almost as a rattle- 

 snake strikes with raised fangs. Vast numbers 

 of sabretooth skeletons have been found in 

 the asphalt; evidently the strange, formidable 

 creature haunted any region which held at- 

 traction for the various kinds of heavy game 

 on which it preyed. 



The only other carnivore as abundant as the 

 sabretooth was a giant wolf. This was heavier 

 than any existing wolf, with head and teeth 

 still larger in proportion. The legs were com- 

 paratively light. Evidently, Hke the sabre- 

 tooth, this giant wolf had become specialized as 

 a beast of battle, fitted to attack and master 



