THE CAT FAMILY. 



89 



•only weapons possessed by the feline animals, their 

 -claws being no less terrible instruments for seizing 

 their prey and speedily terminating its existence. 

 Their broad, rounded paws are proportionately 

 short ; for the last toe-joint is curved upwards. In 

 repose and in ordinary walking two tendons keep 

 the member in its upright position ; but when the 

 animal is angry and needs its claws, a strong flexor 

 muscle inserted below draws it down, stretches the 

 paw and makes it an effective weapon. This struct- 

 ure of the feet enables the Cats to walk without 

 leaving any traces of the claws, and the softness of 

 their step is due to pads upon their soles. The Cats 

 are both strong and agile and their every movement 

 displays vigor and lithesome grace. Nearly all 

 members of this family partake of the same physical 

 and moral traits, although some special group may 

 seem to have a particular advantage over the others. 



force of their spring. They are also capable of car- 

 rying considerable burdens, and easily convey to a 

 convenient hiding place animals they have killed, 

 although their N prey may be as large as themselves. 

 Acute Senses Of their senses those of hearing and 

 of the sight are the most acute. The ear 



Cat Family. undoubtedly is their guide on their 

 hunting expeditions. They hear and determine the 

 nature of noises at great distances ; the softest foot- 

 fall or the slightest noise from crumbling sand is not 

 lost upon them, and they are thus able to locate 

 prey that they cannot see. The sight is less keen, 

 though it cannot be termed weak. Probably they 

 are unable to see distant objects, but at short range 

 their eyes are excellent. The pupil is round in the 

 larger species and dilates circularly when the animal 

 is in a state of excitement ; smaller species show an 

 elliptical pupil, capable of great dilation. In the 



THE ROYAL TIGER. Here is presented a faithful portrayal of the scourge of Asia in his native jungle. The flaming yellow hue that 



forms the ground color in his coat is left to the imagination, but the dark stripings are accurately depicted. He sees his prey and is rapidly 

 approaching it, for the uplifted tail in these animals is a signal of attack, and the whole expression ot the face in the picture is one of voracious 

 expectancy. Soon those sharp canine teeth and the yet sheathed claws will claim a life. The fierce nature and muscular structure of the Tiger 

 are well brought out. {Felis tigris.) 



All Cats walk well, but slowly, cautiously and noise- 

 lessly; they run quickly and can jump distances 

 that exceed many times the length of their respect- 

 ive bodies. There are only a few of the larger 

 species that are unable to climb ; the majority being 

 greatly skilled in this accomplishment. Although 

 as a rule averse to water, they swim well, when 

 necessity compels ; at least, none of them can easily 

 be drowned. Each member of this family knows 

 how to curl up its handsome body and reduce its 

 compass, and all are experts in the use of their paws. 

 The large species can strike down animals larger 

 than themselves with one stroke of the paw and the 



daytime it shrinks to a narrow slit under the influ- 

 ence of the bright light ; in darkness or when the 

 animal is excited, it assumes a nearly circular shape. 

 The sense coming nearest to that of sight in keen- 

 ness is probably that of touch, which manifests 

 itself in sensibility to pain and other outward condi- 

 tions as well as in a discriminating faculty of feel- 

 ing. The most sensitive organs are the whiskers, 

 the eyebrows, and, in the Lynx, probably also the 

 ear-tufts. A Cat with its whiskers cut off is in a 

 very uncomfortable plight ; the poor thing is at a 

 complete loss to know how to act and shows utter 

 indecision and restlessness until the hairs have grown 



