530 



CHORD AT A, 



(After T. J. Parker.) 



and ulna are like those of the dog but proportionately 

 longer. The carpal bones and manus are very similar, but 

 the terminal phalanges of the digits can be withdrawn, with 

 their sharp claws, over the penultimate phalanx. 



In the hind-limb and 



Fig. 366.— A Side View of a Cat's girdle we may note again 



Toe with Retractile Claw. the greater length of limb 



but a general similarity to 

 the dog. There are the 

 same retractile claws as 

 in the fore-limb. As in 

 the dog, the hallux is re- 

 presented by a vestigial 

 metatarsal. 



The stomach of these 

 carnivorous types is al- 

 ways simple and there is 

 a small caecum. In the 

 cat the tongue is armed 

 with rasping horny papillae 

 which assist the teeth in 

 "stripping" bones. The 

 intestine is always very 

 short. The brain is well 



tonvoluted and the senses 

 re highly developed. The 

 external pinnae of the ear 

 are large and triangular- 

 shaped. Most of the 

 **cats" have long and 

 sensitive hairs or vibrissas 

 on each side of the snout, useful in nocturnal prowls, as 

 fine organs of touch. 



We may trace the same three series of features as 

 were pointed out in the horse and ox, i,e.^ (i) Resem- 

 blances due to descent from a common ancestral species; 

 (2) Resemblances due to similar modifications since that 

 time ; (3) Differences due to divergent modifications since 

 that time. I 



I. The Carnivora appear to be descended from ] 

 very generalised mammals which combined many of the | 



On left the claw is retracted by the ligament 



behind it ; on the right the tendon is 



retracted and the claw exserted. 



