jStcttmiarn of gmmatrtr 



931 



gill-covers to a prodigious size. The mouth, 

 which is large, contains two rows of minute 

 teeth, besides others which are in the roof. 

 The back is much elevated ; the belly is pro- 

 minent ; the lateral line is rough, but the rest 

 of the body is very smooth, tapering towards 

 the tail. The colour of the body is a dusky 

 brown, marbled with white, and sometimes 



I stained witli red ; the fins and tail are trans- 



I parent ; and the belly is a silvery white. It 

 feeds on small Crustacea. In Greenland this 



I fish attains a much larger size, and forms 

 the principal food of the natives, who make 

 it into soup, which is said to be both whole- 



i some and palatable. 



FAWN. An appellation given to a buck 



I or doe of the first year. [See DEER.] 



I FELIS : FELID^E. The name given to 

 : animals of the Cat kind, forming a large 

 ! genus and family of carnivorous quadrupeds, 

 including the lion, tiger, leopard, lynx, do- 

 1 mestic cat, &c. They are characterized by 

 1 having strong, sharp, retractile talons on the 

 feet, and by the teeth being equally fitted for 

 the purposes of destruction. They are all es- 

 sentially carnivorous ; they refuse vegetable 

 food ; and in a state of nature they will not, 

 unless pressed by hunger, devour any flesh 

 which they have not themselves killed. 

 They are, consequently, of all Mammalia, 

 the most destructive in their propensities ; 

 and their bodily powers are in admirable 

 ' accordance with their instincts. There are 

 no quadrupeds in which the muscles of the 

 jaws and limbs are more fully developed : 

 their frame is vigorous, but agile ; the limbs 

 are well knit, but supple ; and every motion 

 is easy, free, and graceful. There is no su- 

 perfluous flesh ; but the whole seems com- 

 posed of bone, nerve, muscle, and sinew. 

 Though many animals on which they prey 

 excel them in fleetness, in consequence of 

 having longer and more slender limbs, there 

 are none which approach them in the power 

 of leaping and bounding. The under sur- 

 face of their feet being provided with elastic 

 pads or cushions, their footfall is rendered 

 I noiseless ; their usual gait is slow, cautious, 

 j and stealthy ; and when the impetus of the 

 i spring is added to the stroke of the paw, 

 their power is almost irresistible. They 

 ! possess the sense of smell in a very moderate 

 degree, compared with the Cauidie ; but 

 their sight is most Hcute, adapted for vision 

 by night as well as by day ; the sense of 

 ; hearing is also exquisite ; and the long 

 whiskers are delicate organs of the sense of 

 feeling. The tongue is furnished with rough 

 horny papillae, directed backwards ; these 

 serve a very important purpose in enabling 

 the animal to scrape off the minute particles 

 of flesh adhering to the bones of its prey. 



The different species of this family for the 

 most part bear a very close resemblance to 

 one another in general conformation, though 

 differing widely in size ; and it is chiefly by 

 their variation in this respect that their 

 habits are guided. In Brande's Dictionary 

 of Science we find the following judicious 

 I olmryations on the distinguishing charac- 

 ! tenstics of the different species : " The leo- 

 pards, panthers, jaguars, are the most typical 



or truly feline species ; in these the beauty 

 of colouring, sleekness of skin, elegance of 

 form, craft, suspicion, bloodthirstiness, agi- 

 lity under excitement, and sloth during re- 

 pletion, are most strongly manifested. The 

 lion combines more robustness of body with 

 the feline attributes ; and his pre-eminent 

 stature receives an air of nobility and gran- 

 deur from the mane that decorates his head 

 and neck. He has the credit too of a greater 

 share of boldness and generosity than the 

 other cats. His vocal organs also exhibit a 

 modification of structure not present in the 

 other felines, by which he has the power to 

 utter his tremendous roar a roar which, 

 when sent forth under the excitement of 

 hunger, scares from their hiding places the 

 timid ruminants which may be lurking 

 within the compass of its fearful reverbera- 

 tions. Among the felines, one group is cha- 

 racterized by the shortness of the tail, and 

 the tuft of hair on the tips of the ears ; this 

 includes the lynxes. 



" The cheetah, or hunting leopard, deviates 

 most in the half-retractile condition of the 

 talons, and the upright carriage of his body, 

 from the true feline characters ; and with 

 these physical modifications is combined so 

 much of the canine disposition, as enables 

 this species to be used in packs for the pur- 

 poses of the chase. 



" The middle-sized cats, which lurk in the 

 branches of trees, as the leopards, ocelots, 

 &c., have a fulvous ground colour, broken 

 by irregular dark spots ; a marking which 

 admirably] adapts them for concealment 

 amidst foliage. A similar relation of adapt- 

 ation to the peculiar theatre of their de- 

 structive habits may be traced in other spe- 

 cies. The tiger, for example, which prowls 

 on the ground, and creeps stealthily towards 

 his victim between the stems of the trees 

 and plants of the jungle, has his bright 

 ground colour interrupted with black ver- 

 tical stripes. The lion, which traverses the 

 parched deserts of Africa, and lies in wait 

 to intercept the antelopes which bound in 

 troops from one oasis to another, would be 

 rendered too conspicuous if his tawny hide 

 were ornamented with the stripe* or spots 

 that characterize the feline livery : these, 

 therefore, which are obvious enough in the 

 earlier periods of his existence, become ob- 

 literated as he attains to maturity. A 

 smaller feline species, the puma, or Ame- 

 rican lion, which plays the predatory cha- 

 racter in a corresponding theatre of the New 

 World, presents a similar uniformity of co- 

 lour. The feline animals bring forth from 

 two to six young ones at a birth." [See 

 CAT : LION : TIGER : &c.l 



FENNEC. (Megdlotis.} This is a beau- 

 tiful little animal, belonging to the digiti- 

 giade Carnivora, closely allied to the Dog, 

 principally found in N. Africa. It is about 

 ten inches in length, five in height, and is of 

 a yellowish-white colour : it has a pointed 

 visage, long whiskers, large bright black eyes, 

 and very large ears, of a bright rose colour, 

 internally lined with long hairs, and the 

 orifice covered with a valve or membrane : 

 the legs and feet are like those of a dog; and 



