FELINE SPECIES. 89 



whether down to the age of the Aurochs and Urns is not so clear, but probably subsequent to the 

 appearance of man there ; for Messrs. Christy and Lartet record a metacarpal bono of the species 

 found in the cave of Les Eyzies, bearing evident marks of knives (flint), which marks they imply 

 were produced by cutting off the meat from the bones. It has left evidences of its presence in 

 England, Belgium, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Sicily, and Greece. 



It is not proved that it extended into Asia ; according to ray view it must have come 

 thence. Still earlier than its appearance in Europe, the Tiger, before referred to (F. cristata), 

 about the same size as the living tiger, already existed in Asia, remains of which have been 

 discovered by Falconer and Cautley in the miocene formation of the Sivalik Hills.* 



Remains of a still older miocene Tiger (F. aphanista Kaup) have been met with in the tertiary 

 sands of Epplesheim. Some ver}^ imperfect remains of an animal about the size and habit of 

 a panther have been found in the miocene beds at Sansans, in the south of France. It was described 

 by Gervais imder the name of PsEUD.5:LURrs QiADRiDENTATis.t 



Another feline animal, perhaps of even more destructive character than the Cave Lion, belong- 

 ing to an allied but distinct and very remarkable genus named Machairoutjs, lived in Europe 

 in the miocene epoch, and not long before the Cave species, and has also left traces in America. 



The most distinguishing feature in the structure of the animals of this genus was the enormous 

 development of the upper canine teeth, which were much longer than those of the lion or tiger, more 

 compressed, and flattened like a sabre, whence their name. The remains of European species have 

 been found chiefly in caves. So have those of one of the American species, a most extraordinary 

 animal, with some resemblance to the hyaena, but larger, discovered by Lund in caverns in Brazil, 

 and named !Machairodus Neog.iius or S:milodo>;. In it the upper canines are nearly as long as 

 the entire lower jaw, and, as suggested by Professor Owen, are an instance of the mutual cor- 

 relation of the structure (for offence and defence) of animals inhabiting the same region — the 

 powerful jaws and enormous upper canines of this animal being apparentlj- purposelj' adapted for 

 tearing up the large Armadillos (Gt.yptodox), whose carapaces are found in the superficial deposits 

 of South Amei'ica of the same age, which, on the other hand, are provided with an almost im- 

 penetrable tortoise-Hke armour. 



The Jaguar, which in these countries now fills the place and performs the destructive task 

 of the MACiiAiRODrs Smilodon, has a less difficult labour to perforin. Humboldt, in his " Per- 

 sonal Narrative," says, ""We were shown large shells of turtles emptied b}' the Jaguars. These 

 animals follow the Arraus towards the beaches, when the la3'ing of eggs is to take place. They 

 surprise them on the sand, and, in order to devour them at their ease, turn them in such a manner 

 that the under shell is uppermost. In this situation the turtles cannot rise, and as the Jaguar 

 turns many more than he can eat in one night, the Indians often avail themselves of his cunning and 

 malignant avidity. ^\Tien we reflect on the difficulty that the naturalist finds in getting out 

 the body of the turtle without separating the upper and under shells, we cannot enough admire 

 the suppleness of the tiger's paw, which empties the double armour of the Arrau, as if the adhering 

 parts of the muscles had been cut bj' means of a surgical instrument." J Mr. "W'allacc speaks in 

 similar terms of the clean and perfect manner in which tlie whole of the interior is scooped out.^ 



* Falc. and Cautl. " Asiatic Researches,'' xix. a 13.5. J Ho.mboidt's " Personal Narrative," iv. p. 492. 



t Gervais, "Zool. Pal. Fr." p. 127. § Wallace, Alfred, " Travels in Brazil." 



