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ANIMALS OF 



I 



CARNIVOROUS AlfflMAXS. 



CHAPTER L. 



ANIMALS OF THE CAT KIND. 



WE have hitherto been describing a class of 

 peaceful and harmless animals, that serve as 

 the instruments of man's happiness, or, at least, 

 that does not openly oppose him. We come 

 now to a bloody and unrelenting tribe, that 

 disdain to own his power, and carry on unceas- 

 ing hostilities against him. All the class of the 

 cat kind are chiefly distinguished by their sharp 

 and formidable claws, which they can hide and 

 extend at pleasure. They lead a solitary, ra- 

 venous life, neither uniting for their mutual 

 defence, like vegetable feeders, nor for their 

 mutual support, like those of the dog kind. 

 The whole of this cruel and ferocious tribe seek 

 their food alone; and, except at certain sea- 

 sons, are even enemies to each other. The 

 dog, the wolf, and the bear, are sometimes 

 known to live upon vegetables or farinaceous 

 food ; but all of the cat kind, such as the lion, 

 the tiger, the leopard, and the ounce, devour 

 nothing but flesh, and starve upon any other 

 provision. 



They are, in general, fierce, rapacious, sub- 

 tle, and cruel, unfit for society among each 

 other, and incapable of adding to human hap- 

 piness. However, it is probable that even the 

 fiercest could be rendered domestic, if man 

 thought the conquest worth tne trouble. Lions 

 have been yoked to the chariots of conquerors, 

 and tigers have been taught to tend those herds 

 which they are known at present to destroy ; 

 but these services are not sufficient to recom- 

 pense for the trouble of their keeping ; so that 

 ceasing to be useful, they continue to be nox- 

 ious, and become rebellious subjects because 

 not taken under equal protection with the rest 

 of the brute creation. 



Other tribes of animals are classed with dif- 

 ficulty ; having often but few points of resem- 

 blance ; and, though alike in form, have dif- 

 ferent dispositions, and different appetites. But 



all those of the cat kind, although differing in 

 size, or in colour, are yet nearly allied to each 

 other ; being equally fierce, rapacious, and 

 artful ; and he that has seen one has seen all. 

 In other creatures there are many changes 

 wrought by human assiduity ; the dog, the hog, 

 or the sheep, are altered in their natures and 

 forms, just as the necessities or the caprice of 

 mankind have found fitting ; but all of this kind 

 are inflexible in their forms, and wear the 

 print of their natural wildness strong upon 

 them. The dogs or cows vary in different 

 countries, but lions or tigers are still found the 

 same ; the very colour is nearly alike in all ; 

 and the slightest alterations are sufficient to 

 make a difference in the kinds, and to give the 

 animal a different denomination. 



The cat kind are not less remarkable for the 

 sharpness and strength of their claws, which 

 thrust forth from their sheath when they seize 

 their prey, than for the shortness of their snout, 

 the roundness of their head, and the large whis- 

 kers which grow on the upper lip. Their 

 teeth also, which amount to the numberof thir- 

 ty, are very formidable, but rather calculated 

 for tearing their prey than for chewing if for 

 this reason they feed but slowly : and while 

 they eat, generally continue growling, to deter 

 others from taking a share. In the dog kind, 

 the chief power lies in the under jaw, which is 

 long, and furnished with muscles of amazing 

 strength ; but in these the greatest force lies in 

 the claws, which are extended w ith great ease, 

 and their gripe is so tenacious that nothing can 

 open it. The hinder parts in all these animals 

 are much weaker than those before ; and they 

 seem less made for strength than agility. Nor 

 are they endued with the swiftness of most 

 other animals ; but generally owe their subsis- 

 tence rather to catching their prey by surprise 

 than by hunting it fairly down. They all seize 



