MAMMALS 293 



from Lower California to Alaska; the most valuable American fur 

 animal. The sea otter feeds principally on shell-fish and sea-urchins; 

 but one young is born. 



Family 5. Felidae.- — Cats. Body more or less elongate, compact 

 and lithe; feet digitigrade; toes 5-4; claws compressed, sharp and 

 retractile; head short and round; tongue with rasping papilla; pupil 

 elKptical: cosmopolitan (except in Australia); many species, which are 

 most numerous in the tropics and sub tropics; about 29 species in 

 North America and 16 in the United States and Canada, grouped in 2 

 genera. 



Key to the United States Genera of Felidae 



ai Tail long i. Felis. 



a,2 Tail short 2. Lynx. 



I. Fells L. Cats. Body slender; fur soft and compact; dentition 

 $/^, i/i, 3/2, i/ir about 50 species; 9 species and subspecies in the 

 United States. Of these species about 6 are different geographical 

 races of pumas, which are the only native cats ranging over the whole 

 country, while the other 3 species are Central American cats which 

 occur along the Mexican border. The pumas are characterized among 

 cats by the following features; large size, slender build, a small head, a 

 long tail and absence of color markings. They are confined to America, 

 ranging from southern Patagonia to southern British America. The 

 domestic cat, F. domestica, is a descendant of the Egyptian wild cat, 

 F. maniculata, but with a considerable admixture of the European wild 

 cat, F. catus. The yellow tabby cat is probably the result of such a 

 cross. The domestic cat usually bears from 3 to 6 at a birth. The 

 puma bears from 2 to 5 young, which are often spotted and have ringed 

 tails. 



Key to the United States Species of Felis 



ai Color uniform, without spots or stripes, 

 bi Size large; legs long; pumas. 



Ci In the northeastern States F. couguar. 



Co In Florida F. coryi. 



C3 In Louisiana F. ariindivaga. 



C4 In the Far-west F. oregonensis. 



h-2, Size smaller; legs short F. cacomitli. 



Z.1 Color not uniform; body spotted or striped. 



bi Size large; body spotted and without stripes; jaguar F. hernandesi. 



be Size smaller; body with both spots and stripes F. pardalis. 



