104 Vertebrata. 



strongest of the carnivores, is confined to Asia, 

 Other forms are the panthers and leopards, the ounce, 

 the jaguar or American leopard, the puma or 

 American lion, the tiger-cats, ocelots, lynx, and 

 domestic cats. This last-named is probably the 

 descendant of the wild cat of Abyssinia tamed by the 

 ancient Egyptians. The wild cat of this country 

 (Lynx canadensis), ranges over the entire continent 

 south of the Arctic circle. The cheetah, or hunting 

 leopard of India, has only partially retractile claws. 

 The cats have all rough tongues armed with numer- 

 ous sharp, recurved papillae. 



The hyaenas are intermediate in some respects 

 between the dogs and the cats. They have the 

 dentition and rough tongues of the cats, with a more 

 doglike form and non-retractile claws. They are 

 nocturnal, and can be known by the peculiarly low 

 hind-quarters in comparison with the fore. 



Civets and mongooses make another family called 

 Vtverridtz, which usually possess odorous glands, 

 rough tongues, short legs, and a semi-plantigrade 

 mode of progression. The weasel and otter family, 

 Mustelida, differ from these in their shorter, rounder 

 heads, smooth tongues, and longer bodies. Many of 

 these are sought for on account of their skins, such as 

 the vison, ermine, sable, mink, &c. Others, like the 

 weasel, skunk and pole-cat, are well-known vermin ; 

 the Mustela foina, or marten, was the domestic cat of 

 the classic authors. 



The plantigrade carnivores are those that bring 

 their whole foot- sole to the ground when walking; 

 they are bears, badgers, and kinkajous. The badgers 



