298 



THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



a well-directed spring brings them on to it at once. That 

 these animals may better surprise their prey, they have 

 eyes so extremely sensitive to light that they can see well 

 when it would appear to Man to be quite dark, hence 



FIG. 66. 1, EYE OP LION. 2, CLAW. 3, TEETH. 



the saying, "cats can see in the dark." The Iris (or 

 coloured part of the eyes) in this tribe is made so as to close 

 up into a slit (1, fig. 66), and thus exclude the light of the 

 day to a great extent, which would otherwise be too powerful, 

 and injure the extreme sensibility of their vision. Their 

 claws (2, fig 66) are made to retract by a tendon, so as to 

 keep their points from being worn by walking. This accounts 

 for the silent, stealthy tread of the domestic cat ; it enables 

 them to creep quietly upon their prey, and at the moment 

 they are about to seize them, the claws are extended. The 

 pointed or flesh-teeth of the Carnivora are greatly developed, 

 and are very sharp. Their molars (3, fig. 66) are pointed, 

 and suitable to the food they are intended to masticate. The 

 tongue of the feline tribe is very rough, and is used to rasp off 

 the flesh from bones. When closely examined, the surface 

 of their tongues present a series of horny books, all bending 

 in one direction, and forming a sort of rasp. 



The Lion is usually placed at the head of this race, but it 



