MAMMALIA. 531 



characters of the earliest Ungulata and Insectivora. The 

 dog has very nearly the typical Eutherian dentition, and 

 the bears, show the primitive plantigrade mode of pro- 

 gression. The extinct Creodonta have more generalised 

 characters. The scaphoid and lunare were not fused, 

 the feet were plantigrade and pentadactyle, the femur had 

 a third trochanter, and some of them appear to have had 

 f molars, thus completing the typical dentition. The 

 formation of the teeth was, however, distinctly carni- 

 vorous, with large canines and cutting-molars, though 

 " carnassials " were not so distinctly defined. Hence we 

 may with some certainty suppose that the earliest carni- 

 vore was plantigrade, pentadactyle, teeth " carnivorous " 

 and diphyodont, formula fxtl> probably scaphoid and 

 lunare fused. 



2. Since the divergence from a common ancestor, 

 each has changed by the adoption of a digitigrade pro- 

 gression, loss of hallux, and reduction of pollex, develop- 

 ment of cranial crests and temporal fossa, loss of last 

 upper molar. 



3. At the same time the two have diverged into sepa- 

 rate families by the greater " carnivorous " progress of the 

 cat, involving shorter jaws, less teeth, retractile claws and 

 other differences noticed above. 



The differences between dog and cat are of the family 

 grade, or little beyond, but those between horse and ox are 

 subordinal and therefore greater. 



The carnivorous diet largely releases a mammal from 

 distributional limits of temperature, as its food is cosmo- 

 politan ; hence the Canidce are universally distributed 

 (except in oceanic islands), whilst the Felidcd are found 

 everywhere, except in Madagascar, Notogaea and oceanic 

 islands. 



The Felidce, representing the culminating point of the 

 Carnivora, must be regarded as one of the most successful 

 types of the Mammalia. They are pre-eminent for physical 

 and intellectual strength, great ^' slimness " and alertness, 

 for an absolute disregard of the feelings, and the power 

 and will to profit by the toil and mishaps, of others. 

 Such traits carry all the elements of success. 



