MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 63 



This animal is interesting not only because it is the sole car- 

 nivore of any size found upon Madagascar but because it 

 unites with the form of a civet the dentition found in no living 

 cat, but characteristic of tertiary Felidae. The body and head 

 are slender, the tail long, and while the claws are retractile, 

 the whole sole is applied to the ground. There are anal glands 

 such as characterize the civets to which and the Felidae they 

 form a link. The last of the families of the JBluroidea is that 

 containing the cats proper to which we now pass. 



FELIDJE. 



THE CAT FAMILY. 



This family may be considered the typical and the highest 

 member of the Carnivora. We find in this group only graceful 

 and well-formed animals combining with wonderful strength 

 and agility such variations in form as are best adapted to the 

 special habitat in which the animal is found. The psychical 

 characters agree with the physical and we find in the cats a 

 fine combination of courage and affection. In addition to 

 highly developed senses and mental powers, the cats have a 

 certain spirit of independence which makes them less adapted 

 than the dogs to be the slaves of man. The cat always retains 

 her self esteem, at least so long as she keeps her pelt and feet 

 dry, and wishes to be treated with consideration, in which case 

 she will exhibit all the affection with none of the servility of 

 the dog, as though conscious of royal blood and princely con- 

 nections. The personal pride which makes the cat so careful 

 not to soil her beautiful fur is seen in all her relations with 

 man. She does not hesitate to take possession of the best 

 place and exacts attention to her kittens with motherly pride, 

 and in return for care and caresses often lays her booty of mice 

 or birds at the feet of the master, perhaps rather as an evidence 

 of service than in the real expectation of their being used. 

 The toes only touch the ground in walking and the hallux is 

 absent, while the thumb is elevated above the other toes. 

 Nearly all the family are furnished with retractile claws which 

 are preserved from dulling by being withdrawn into sheaths 

 during walking. In the living species there is very slight 

 variation from one type of dentition. The formula for the milk 

 dentition is as follows: :{:|:$=26 for the permanent set 

 1:1:3:1=30. The incisors are small, irregularly chisel shaped 



