THE CANID^E, OB DOGS. 259 



8. THE CARNIVORA, OB FLESH EATERS. 



The group of our present flesh-eating mammals 

 which has been most carefully examined as regards 

 specialisation of the dentition, and whose geological 

 appearance has perhaps left most traces and points 

 of connection is that of the Dogs, or Canidce. We 

 shall, therefore, take this group as the starting- 

 point for our comparative examination. 



The dog, like all the other Carnivora, possesses 

 five toes on its front feet and four on the hind feet, 

 with non-retractile claws. Those who wish to 

 obtain even a limited view of the relationship 

 between the main genus Canis and some of the 

 sub-species, and various other forms allied to 

 these, their geographical distribution, &c., in the 

 hope of finding some indications of the lines 

 which partly vanish into primeval times with- 

 out leaving any trace, but again in many in- 

 stances showing a connection with definite palae- 

 ontological facts, must first of all make them- 

 selves acquainted with the dentition of the group. 

 One tooth more or less unmistakably determines 

 the date of one or more of the geological periods. 

 The position, size, and disappearance of the teeth in- 

 dicate, with almost the same certainty, the relation- 



