58 NATURAL HISTORY. 



CHAPTER VI. 



CARNIVOROUS QUADRUPEDS COncklded. 



92. THE family of Ursidse, the Bear tribe, includes the 

 Bears, Raccoons, Badgers, etc. These are said to be 

 Plantigrade animals (planta, sole, and gradior, I walk), 

 because, like man, they apply the sole of the foot to the 

 ground in walking. The families of the Carnivora al- 

 ready noticed are, on the other hand, said to be Digiti- 

 grade (digitus, finger or toe, and gradior), because they 

 walk on their toes ; the bone which corresponds to the 

 heel-bone in man really extending quite up the leg. You 

 can see how this is if you compare the skeleton of the 

 camel, which is a Digitigrade animal, with that of man, 

 in Figs. 1 and 3. To make the comparison clear, begin 

 at the hip or shoulder joint of the camel, and go down to 

 the feet, observing the corresponding bones in man. 



93. Although this family is placed among the Carniv- 

 ora, most of the species live partly on vegetable food, and 

 some live almost entirely upon it. They may be said to 

 be nearly, if not quite, omnivorou3 (omnis, all, and voro, 

 to eat). Most of them are expert in climbing. They 

 conceal themselves in caves, holes, and hollow trees ; and 

 it is in such places that they spend the winter in a state 

 of partial torpidity. The genus Ursus, or Bear, is the 

 type of the family. There are eight species : three in Eu- 

 rope one of which, the Polar Bear, is common also in 

 America; one in the mountains of India; one in Java; 

 one in Thibet, and three in North America. The body 

 and limbs of the Bear are massive, and are covered with 

 shaggy hair. Its five toes have strong claws, suited to 

 digging. In very cold countries bearskins are of great 

 use in making coverlets and articles of clothing. Leath- 



