THE FELINE. 69 



structures which particularly characterise and dis- 

 tinguish them from other groups. 



The Cats, or those animals known to naturalists 

 under the designation of Feles, hold a very prominent 

 station among the creatures which support them- 

 selves almost entirely upon animal food. In the ar- 

 rangement of Linnaeus, they stand among the Ferae ; 

 hy Illiger they are placed in his order Falculata ; by 

 the Baron Cuvier among his Carnassiers; and by 

 the two latter naturalists they are considered typical 

 of subordinate groups, named by the first Sangui- 

 naria, and by the last Carnivores, names which indi- 

 cate the principal trait in their characters. 



In geographical distribution, the Felinse have a 

 very extensive range, but the most powerful and 

 dangerous are almost confined to the warmer climates. 

 Different species are, however, found in every part of 

 the world, with the exception of New Holland and 

 the islands in the South Pacific Ocean; and though 

 the hot jungles of India and Africa, and the wooded 

 plains of South America, contain the greater num- 

 bers, a few extend to countries of almost arctic cold, 

 and one or two of the most formidable, reach, in li- 

 mited numbers, far beyond the boundary of a tem- 

 perate climate. Notwithstanding that the species 

 are spread over the greater part of the old and new 

 world, none have yet been discovered, which are 

 common to both. In many instances prototypes are 

 found, and the place of the panther and leopard is 

 filled in South America by the jaguar. The ocelots 



