90 felidtE. 



The Digitigrade Carnivoi'a are divided into three families — Felidce, 

 Viverridce, and Canidce, or the Cats, the Civet Cats, and the Dogs. 



Fam. Felidje. The Cat tribe. 



Molars , of which, according to F. Cuvier, two are false molars 



3—3 " 



on each side in both jaws, and there is no tuberculate molar in the lower 



3 3 



jaw. According to Owen, the dental formula is, incisors ; canines 



o — o 



I I 3 3 I I 



; prsemolars ; molars : total 30 teeth. Fore-feet with 



1—1 ' ^ 2—2 1—1 



five, hind-feet with four or five, toes. 



The animals of this family have the smallest number of molars, and 

 hence their jaws are short and strong; the head is rounded, and the limbs 

 powerful. Their teeth are pai'ticularly cutting, the canines very large and 

 sharp, the flesh-tooth above three-lobed, with a tubercle on its inner side ; 

 and the tuberculated molar above small. All are essentially carnivorous, 

 and they are the type of the tribe and order. Their footfall is noiseless, 

 from the thick pads with which the under surface of their feet is furnished. 

 To preserve their claws sharp, they are habitually kept withdrawn between 

 the toes, by the action of an elastic ligament which acts on the last joint 

 of each toe, bending it upwards. When the animal is about to strike, the 

 flexor tendons pull down this last phalanx, and the claw is thus exserted. 

 Their fur is usually dense and short. Their limbs are of moderate length 

 and very powerful, and they can take astonishing bounds. Their vision is 

 adapted for night as well as day, and all are nocturnal in habits, or nearly 

 so. Their sense of hearing is very acute, and. their long whiskers are deli- 

 cate organs of touch. The tongue is furnished with rough papillte, directed 

 backwards and somewhat recurved. The clavicle is rudimentary, and 

 imbedded among the muscles. They usually take their prey by suddenly 

 springing on it from a concealed spot, and if they fail in seizing it, rarely 

 pursue. They are generally solitary, but occasionally hunt in families. 



The Cat tribe ai'e found over both continents, but do not occur in Aus- 

 tralia ; and the larger species are most numerous in warm countries. 



Mr. Blyth has recently published (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863, p. 181) a 

 Synopsis of the Asiatic species oi Felis, containing several alterations in 

 the nomenclatui-e fx-om that of his Catalogue, all of which I have here 

 adopted. 



