CARNIVORA. 393 



The Seals {Phocidce) and Sea-lions (Otaria) are distin- 

 guished by having incisor teeth in both jaws, and by the 

 fact that the canines are not immoderately developed. As 

 regards their distribution in time, the Seals are indicated as 

 occurring in the Miocene {Otaria) and Pliocene Tertiary 

 (PristipJwca) ; but their remains are by no means as abun- 

 dant as might have been anticipated from their aquatic habits. 

 Eemains of Seals, however, are by no means very rare in 

 Post-Tertiary deposits. 



The Walruses {Tricliecidoi) are distinguished from the 

 Seals by their enormously-developed upper canines, which 

 grow from persistent pulps, and constitute great pointed 

 tusks. Eemains of large Pinnigrade Carnivores {Trichecodon) 

 liave been described from the Pliocene Tertiary of Europe, 

 and appear to be nearly allied to the existing Walrus 

 (yTrichecus). 



Section II. Plantigkada. — The Carnivorous animals be- 

 longing to this section apply the whole or the greater part 

 of the sole of the foot to the ground (fig. 673, a); and the 

 portion of the sole so employed is destitute of hairs in most 

 instances (the sole is hairy in the Polar Bear). 



The typical family of the Plantigrade Carnivorais that of 

 the Ursidm or Bears, in which the entire sole of the foot is 

 applied to the ground in walking. The Ursidm are much 

 less purely carnivorous than the majority of the order, and, 

 in accordance with their omnivorous habits, the teeth do not 

 exhibit the typical carnivorous characters. The incisors and 

 canines have the ordinary carnivorous form, but the " carnas- 

 sial " or sectorial molar has a tuberculate crown instead of a 

 sharp cutting edge. The dental formula is — 



. 3 — 3 1—1 4—4 2—2 



i ; c ; v>n ; m = 42. 



3—3 1—1 ^ 4—4 3—3 



The claws are large, strong, and curved, but are not re- 

 tractile. The tongue is smooth ; the ears small, erect, and 

 rounded ; the tail short ; the nose forms a movable truncated 

 snout ; and the pupil is circular. 



The Bears make their appearance at a comparatively late 

 date, the oldest known types being referable to the genus 



