CARNARIA. 97 



Proteles Lalandii, Isid. Geoff". Mem. da jNTus. XI. 354, pi. xx. In- 

 habits caverns. 



The individual specimens that have been examined, and which 

 were all young, had but three small false molars, and one small tu- 

 berculous posterior molar. It seems as though their teeth had never 

 come to perfection, as often happens in the Genets*. 



* See my Ossemens Fossiles, torn. IV. p. 



(idr (a) In this second subdivision of the digitigrade animals, whicli is here con- 

 cluded, are found many species particularly recommended to our attention. As a 

 vast collection of dogs of different countries are now in the two Zoological Gardens, it 

 may be convenient to our readers to give the simple classification of these interesting 

 animals, as it has been recently established by M. F. Ciivier. He forms the whole 

 species of dogs into three groups : — 



1. The Matins, characterized as follows — head elongated, sides of the cranium 

 approaching each other in the anterior direction, and the condyles of the inferior jaw 

 horizontally directed with respect to the position of the teeth in the upper jaw. The 

 specimens of this group are — the New Holland Dog, the French Matin, the Danish 

 Dog, the Greyhound, including all the varieties of the latter, and the Albanian Dog. 



2. Spaniels, in which the head is elongated, but not to the same extent as in the 

 Matins, nor do the side bones of the head approximate each other, but they sepa- 

 rate more widely, swelling out in such a way as to increase the anterior part of the 

 cavity of the cranium, a circumstance that would admit of the supposition that these 

 animals owe their superior intelligence to the greater developement of the hemis- 

 pheres of the brain. This group includes the various spaniels, such as the King 

 Charles's breed, the Water Spaniel, the Hound, Bloodhound, Foxhound, Harrier, 

 and the Beagle, which is a particular breed of the Harrier, the Pointer, Turnspit, 

 Shepherd's Dog, Wolf, Siberian and Esquimaux Dogs, the Alpine and Newfoundland 

 Dog, the Setter, Terrier, and the Alco. 



3. Dogues. In this third group the muzzle is shortened, the cranium is very 

 high, and smaller than in other dogs, and the sinuses between the walls of the frontal 

 bone vary considerably. It includes the Bull Dog, Mastiff, Pug Dog, Iceland Dog, 

 Little Danish, Bastard Pug, the Artois, the Barbary, and Dog of Andalusia. 



Some Esquimaux, Australian, and other varieties of foreign Dogs, may be seen in 

 both the Zoological Gardens. 



The Wolf Species, belonging to this subdivision, are found in various parts of 

 the continent of Europe at present, but they offer this remarkable peculiarity in their 

 history, that their race, which was once exceedingly nimierous and formidable in these 

 countries, has been wholly extirpated from them. The last native wolf which is re- 

 corded to have been seen here, was in 1710, in Ireland. 



A male and female wolf, the one a native of France, the other of Russia, are in 

 the Zoological Gardens. 



The property possessed by Civet Cats, the genus Viverra of this subdivision, of 

 secreting an odoriferous substance, which was once used in medicine, but is now ex- 

 clusively employed in perfumery, merits some allusion. A deep bag, situated be- 

 tween the anus and the organs of generation, is divided into two cavities, into 

 which two glands secrete the peculiar matter called civet. The substance is a thick, 

 unctuous matter, with an odour very much resembling that of amber. In the fresh 

 state it is white, but, after some time, becomes yellow, and acquires a very agreeable 

 odour. Chemical investigation has shewn that the odour depends on a volatile oil 

 mixed with some other ingredients, from which it may be separated by distillation 

 in water. The oil, when thus isolated, is of a clear yellow colour, has the strong 

 odour ol civet, together with an acid and burning taste. We may add, in this place, 

 that the secretion from the Skunks (see p. 88), has been found, on analysis, to con- 

 sist of two oils, which may be separated from each other; the one is an oil resem- 

 bling the amber in colour, giving out a most revolting garlic smell, so that in the 

 smallest possible quantity it is perfectly insupportable, and communicates its stench 

 even to water with which it is mixed. The thick oil, which is another of its ingre- 

 dients, has no flavour whatever. — Exc. I-ln. 



