THE FELINE. 81 



do*s not arise, as in man, directly from the belly of 

 the muscle, but from a flat irregular cartilaginous 

 body, 2| inches long, and 1^ broad, attached to the 

 lower end of the muscle, and sliding between the an- 

 nular ligament, and a very thick fascia covering the 

 bottom of the fore-paw ; from this substance five very 

 strong tendons proceed to the fingers, which perforate 

 the tendons of the sublimus nearly as in other animals. 



" They are strongly strapped down, as seen in the 

 figure." 



In addition to these weapons, we also perceive, 

 when examining an animal of this tribe, that the 

 neck and muscles of the fore quarter are particu- 

 larly powerful. When some prey has been killed, 

 a large deer or bullock, it will require no ordinary 

 strength to tear it open, or to drag and carry it to a 

 secure retreat ; and there seems good authority for 

 believing, that the strength of these parts in the lion 

 will enable him to carry off an ox or heifer with ap- 

 parent ease.* In other species, they are of a power 

 as great in comparison to their size ; and the prey is 

 always dragged off; never, except perhaps in a case 

 of great hunger, devoured where it is seized. 



When we consider, then, these arrangements for 

 destruction, and the fierce and murderous instincts 

 with which the feline animals are endowed, we may 

 be at a loss to comprehend what place they hold in the 

 oia^s and economy of nature ; but in looking a little 

 farther, we will perceive that the races of herbivo- 



* See instances in description of Plates I, II, III. 



