THE TEETH OF VARNIVORA. 37; 



being received into the vacant space or "diastema" so 

 formed. 



The incisors are short, almost always six in number, and 

 stand nearly in a straight line, transversely across the front 

 of the jaw, the outermost upper incisor being sometimes 

 large and pointed so as to be like a small canine. 



The incisors and canines may, on the whole, be said to be 

 tolerably uniform throughout the order, but the variations 

 in the premolar and molar teeth are both numerous and 

 interesting. 



In the most purely carnivorous members of the order, 

 the Fdidce, the true molars are reduced to a minimum, and 

 the back teeth are thin edged, " sectorial " teeth ; in the 



FIG. 182 ( ] ). 



bears, on the other hand, some of which are purely her- 

 bivorous, the molars arc little short of the full typical mam- 

 malian number, and are furnished with obtuse and broad 

 grinding surfaces. 



The accompanying figure will serve to give the general 

 aspect of the teeth and jaws of a typically carnivorous 



( l ) Side view of the cranium of a Tiger, with the mouth slightly opened 

 to show the relative position of the great canines. 



