THE CAT TRIBE 359 



a number of flat processes, or papillae, which are inclined backwards, and enable 

 the tongue to act as a most effective rasp. It this respect cats again differ very 

 markedly from dogs, in which the tongue is quite smooth ; and it is probable that 

 this difference may be accounted for by the 'fact that the teeth of the dogs are 

 adapted for cracking and breaking bones, which are then swallowed ; while those 

 of the cats are not suited for this purpose, and the bones of their prey are conse- 

 quently licked clean and left. 



The fur of most members of the cat tribe is usually short, and of even length 

 over the entire body ; but the male lion is an exception in this respect, owing to the 

 development of the large masses of long hair on the neck and shoulders. Such 

 species as dwell in cold climates, like the ounce, have, however, much longer fur ; 

 and it is noteworthy that when a species, like the tiger, inhabits both hot and cold 

 regions, the length of the fur varies according to the climate. 



Very characteristic of all the cats are the long bristle-like hairs, commonly 

 known as "whiskers," but technically designated " vibrissse," fringing the muzzle. 

 These hairs are provided with special nerves, and act as delicate organs of percep- 

 tion to aid the animals in finding their way, and detecting objects during their 

 nocturnal wanderings. In correlation with these nocturnal habits the eyes of the 

 cats are large and full, and their "pupils" can be altered largely in size by the 

 contraction or expansion of the iris, acccording to the amount of light they have 

 to receive. In most of these animals the ears are short and rounded at the tips, 

 but in the lynxes, and some allied species, they are elongated by the addition of 

 pencils of long hairs to their tips. The tail in the majority of cats is long, cylin- 

 drical, and capable of peculiar snake-like movements ; these movements being 

 brought into play when the animals are excited or in pursuit of their prey. In 

 some of the smaller typical cats, and in all the lynxes, the tail is, however, rela- 

 tively short ; while in the lion it is furnished with a large brush of hairs at the tip. 



The usual coloration of the members of the cat tribe takes the form of dark 

 spots or stripes on a lighter ground ; the ground color generally varying from shades 

 of gray through tawny to yellowish or orange. The spots may be either simple, or 

 in the form of rings or rosettes enclosing an area of darker tint than the general 

 ground color of the fur. From these ringed spots there is a gradual transition, as 

 is well displayed in the marbled tiger-cat, to stripes which are generally more or 

 less vertical, and assume the most regular development in the tiger. In a few 

 species, however, such as the lion and the puma, the entire coloration is tawny ; but 

 even then traces of spots may often be detected in certain lights, while the young 

 are invariably spotted. From this it may be inferred that the uniform tawny color- 

 ation of such species is an acquired characteristic probably originally adapted to 

 the desert-hunting habits of the species in which it occurs and that all the cats 

 were primitively either spotted or striped. A black color among the wild members 

 of the family is of comparatively rare occurrence, but it is met with among the 

 leopards, and in certain other species. 



In point of size, the members of the cat tribe present a greater degree of varia- 

 tion than is found in any other family of Carnivores ; the larger species like the 

 tiger and lion, being only equaled in bulk by some of the bears, while the smallest 



