340 mammalia: terje. — liii. 



Order LTIT. FKRiE. (The Flesh-Eaters or Carnivora.) 



Canine teeth distinct, conical; molars more or less adapted for 

 cutting; clavicles imperfect or wanting; toes provided with claws ; 

 skin covered with hair or fur ; alimentary canal short. General 

 structure in accordance with the predatory life led by all these 

 animals. (ha,t.,/erus, a wild beast; the name Ferce of Linna;us is 

 much older than Cuvier's term Carnivora, which is in general use.) 



Families of Ferae. 



a. Limbs short, unfitted for walking; the toes united in a flat paddle, from 

 wliich only tiie claws project; no external ear; tail very short; eyes 

 large; incisors often less than *. (Pinnipedia.)^ 



b. Hind limbs directed backwards, used only in swimming; claws strong; 



neck sliort Phocid-e, 198. 



aa. Limbs fitted for walking; the toes distinct; incisors S. (Fissipedia.) 

 b. Iliiid feet with 5 toes. 

 c. Feet fully plantigrade; sectorial teeth and the molars behind them all 

 tuberculate. 

 d. Tail well developed; body rather slender, the snout sharp. 



Phocyomd/B, 199. 

 dd. Tail rudimentary; body very robust; snout not acuminate. 



Ursid.e, 200. 

 ec. Feet sub-plantigrade or digitigrade; only one tuberculate molar, the 



sectorial premolar of typical form Mustelid.e, 201. 



bb. Hind feet with 4 toes. 



e. Teeth 42; claws not retractile; snout more or less produced. 



Canid.k, 202. 



ec. Teeth 28 to 30; claws retractile into a sheath; snout short, the 



head broad Felid-e, 203. 



Family CXCVIII. PHOCID^. (The True Seals.) 



Seals with the fore limbs well forward; neck short; hind limbs 

 directed l)aokward, useless on land; hand and foot hairy; nails 

 usuallv well developed ; no external ear. Other characters further 

 distingiiishinfj these seals from the Fur Seals and Sea-Lions {Ola- 

 riidce), and the Walruses (Odohctnidce), are drawn from the skele- 

 ton. Genera 10-11 ; species numerous; found on most coasts, 

 swimming freely in the water and feeding chiefly on fishes, resting 

 and sunning in the rocks on the shore, sometimes breeding on float- 

 ing ice. 



a. Incisors usually jj; intororbital region very narrow; nails of all digits 

 well developed (other characters drawn from the skull). {Phocintr.) 

 b. Snout narrow; incisors simple, conical Phoca, 504. 



' The Eared SeMs (OlnriulfF) and WalniseB (Odobcenida), having external ears, 

 ami limb» uRcJ for walking, fonn a distinct suborder, Oressigrada, containing the Sea 

 Lious, Fur Seals or Sea Bears, and tlie Walrus. 



