AQUATIC CARNIVORA 



characters a little more in detail. In the first place 

 we must distinguish two kinds of carnivora : there are 

 the land forms, the tiger, bears, raccoons, weasels, and 

 so forth ; and secondly, there is the remarkable group 

 of the seals, sea lions, and walrus. The latter are purely 

 aquatic creatures, with feet converted, so to speak, 

 into fins by the aid of which they can swim, and are 

 on that account termed pinnipedia ; the land forms 

 have been called by the corresponding name of Fissi- 

 pedia. The former group is dealt with later under the 

 heading " Sea Lion." As to the land carnivora, the 

 Zoological Gardens always contain a large assortment 

 of various forms. The land carnivora are spread all 

 over the world, with the exception of New Zealand, 

 and are chiefly to be found in the tropics of both worlds. 

 Strictly perhaps we ought to except Australia from 

 the list of those countries which contain carnivora, for 

 the only representative of the order occurring therein 

 is the dingo dog, concerning whose origin and habita- 

 tion of Australia there is some dispute. It has been 

 held that that dog is not an indigene, but has accom- 

 panied the black man in his travels. The carnivora 

 are somewhat diversified in their habits, as is natural 

 with so extensive a group. There are, in the first place, 

 purely slaying and killing carnivora, such as the lion, 

 tiger, leopard, jaguar, cheetah, and several cats. These 

 are solitary, or at times go about in families. The 

 pack-hunting wolves, more entirely ground living than 

 the cat tribe, form another assemblage. But while 

 many carnivores live largely in trees, there is no type 

 known which has become modified in the direction of 

 " flight," such as is seen among the arboreal rodents 

 and marsupials. Nor is there any underground Car- 

 nivora. The aquatic forms among the usually ter- 

 restrial fissipeda are not very many. We have the 

 otters of our own rivers, and those of other parts of the 



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