THE CATS. 175 



The intelligence of the Carnivora does not contradict their bodily 

 structure; it is the intelligence of beasts of prey, in which cunning and 

 p'^rseverance are combined. The feeling of their strength gives them 

 courage and confidence such as no other creatures possess, but these quali- 

 ties are accompanied by bad ones ; the Carnivora too often display cruelty 

 as well as courage, and some seem to be possessed by a thirsty for blood 



One of the most marked features presented by the group of the 

 terrestrial Carnivora is its comparative scarcity in South America, only 

 four families being represented there, not counting the Andean species 

 of the Ursidse, and both genera and species are few in number. We may 

 therefore, from these considerations alone, conclude that the Carnivora 

 are a development of the Northern Hemisphere. North America is 

 distinguished from Northern Europe and Asia by its possession of at least 

 six species of skunks and the racoons. Another marked feature is the 

 total absence of bears in Southern Africa. The great mass of the generic 

 forms of the Carnivora are found in Asia and Africa. 



The marine Carnivora form three families ; the terrestrial, ten — the 

 most important of the latter being the Felidas or cats, the Canidee or 

 dogs, and the Ursidas or bears. Between the two former is placed the 

 family of the Viverridi? or civets, connected with the cats by the single 

 genus of the Cryptoproctidas, and with the dogs by the single genus of 

 the Hya:nida2. Next to the dogs are the Mustelidee or weasels, which 

 are linked to the Ursidre by the Procyonida; or racoons and the 

 ^lurida;. The Ursidre are followed by the sea-bears or Otariida\ and 

 then we pass through the walruses or Trichecidae, to the seals or Fho- 

 cidas. The modification of form is not very great, and the occurrence 

 of several families, consisting of but one species, is an indication of a 

 great amount of recent extinction. 



THE CATS. 



We commence our description of the Carnivora with the family of 

 Cats or Felid^. They are not only the most perfect beasts of prey, 

 but perhaps, with the exception of man, the most perfect of all animals. 

 The common cat may be taken as a type of the family, for in no other 

 family is the fundamental form preserved so closely by all its members; 

 the Lion with his mane, and the Lynx with his tufted ears, are as cat- 

 like as the Leopard ; the Cheetah, or Hunting Leopard, alone presents 



