GENERA L CHAR A CTERS. 



^ 



Caudal Vertebra?. — The vertebrae of the tail vary greatly 

 in number and in characters in different animals. When 

 it is well developed, as, for example, in the long-tailed 

 Carnivora, from one of which the accompanying figures 



5. — .Anterior surface of third caurial vertebra of Leopard {Felts leopardus), 5. 

 az anterior zygapophysis ; pz posterior zygapophysis ; m metapophysis ; / trans- 

 verse process. 



are taken, the anterior vertebrae (Figs. 25 and 26) are 

 comparatively short and broad, with complete neural 

 arches, though without distinct spines, prominent metapo- 

 physes, and anterior and posterior zygapophyses (the latter 



Fig. 26— Upper surface of the t>ird caudal vertebra of leopard, §. az anterior 

 zygapophysis ; pz posterior zygapophysis ; m metapophysis ; t transverse procei-s. 



especially being raised on pedicles), and well-developed 

 >ingle transverse processes. But a gradual change takes 

 place in these characters (see Figs. 27 and 28), the body 

 lengthens out and becomes more and more cylindrical ; the 



