CARNIVORA. 45 5 



of their toes, the soles of their feet being hairy, and the whole 

 of the metacarpus and heel being raised above the ground (fig. 

 366, C). The jaws are short, and, owing to this fact, and to 

 the great size of the muscles concerned in mastication, the head 

 assumes a short and rounded form, with an abbreviated and 

 rounded muzzle. The molars and praemolars are fewer in 

 number than in any other of the Carnivora (hence the short- 

 ness of the jaws), and they are all trenchant, except the last 

 molar in the upper jaw, which is tuberculate. The upper car- 

 nassial has three lobes, and a blunt heel or internal process. 

 The lower carnassial has two cutting lobes, and no internal 

 process. According to Owen, the dental formula is 



. 3 3 l I 3 3 l l 



'3=5; ^ I -_zi;^ 2 =r 2 ;^ I , = 30. 



The legs are nearly of equal size, and the hind-feet have only 

 four toes each, whilst the fore-feet have five. All the toes are 

 furnished with strong, curved, retractile claws, which, when not 

 in use, are withdrawn within sheaths by the action of elastic 

 ligaments, so as not to be unnecessarily blunted. 



Fig. 370. Skull of Lion (Felis led). 



The Felidce probably came into existence in the Eocene 

 period ; but there is considerable uncertainty as to the remains 

 which have been cited from deposits of this age. Several spe- 

 cies of Felis have been indicated as occurring in Miocene 

 deposits, and still more numerous forms have been determined 

 from Pliocene strata. The most important and best known of 

 the Post-Pliocene Felida is the great Cave-lion (Felis spelcea\ 

 which does not appear to be separable by any character of im- 

 portance from the existing Lion (Felis leo\ This species in- 

 habited Britain in times subsequent to the Glacial period, and 



