CAENIVORA. 325 



size, and by their genuine carnivorus dentition (fig. 698). The denti- 

 tion contains all three kinds of teeth : above and below six small 

 incisors with single roots, and at their sides a long, conical pointed 

 canine tooth ; then a number of grinders, which are distinguished 

 into prsemolars (d. spurii), a carnassial tooth (d. sectorius), and 

 molars (d. molar es). We never find prismatic grinders with needle- 

 shaped points on the crown, as in the Iiisectivora. The compressed 

 and sharp-edged prsemolars are the least developed ; the characteristic 

 carnassial teeth are distinguished by the size of their cutting, usually 

 two-or three-toothed crown, and often by the possession of a posterior 

 bluntly-tuberculated lobe (upper carnassial tooth). The lower car- 

 nassial tooth is always the first molar, while the upper is the last 

 prsemolar. The true molars have several roots ; they possess bluntly- 

 tuberculated crowns, and vary in size and number. The external 

 form of the skull and dentition, the high temporal crest of the skull 

 for the attachment of 

 the large temporal 

 muscle, and the marked 

 curvature of the zygo- 

 matic arch for the 

 passage of the same, 

 the trans verse articular 

 cavity (glenoid cavity) 

 of the temporal bone, 

 and the cylindrical FlG - 698.-Skuii of Feiis Leo. 



articular head of the lower jaw, which restricts the motion of the jaw 

 to the vertical plane and excludes lateral movements, are characters 

 which are common to all the Carnivora, and coincide with the form 

 of the dentition. 



The limbs end with four or five freely-movable digits, which are 

 armed with strong cutting claws (accessory to the dental apparatus), 

 and in the front limbs are also used for seizing the prey. Only a few 

 Carnivora, as the Bears, are true plantigrades resting the whole sole 

 of the foot on the ground; others, as the Viverridce, only place 

 the anterior part of the sole (the digits and metacarpals) on the 

 ground; the most agile of the Carnivora, on the other hand, are 

 digitigrade, e.g., the Felidce (fig. 699.) The uterus is two-horned, 

 the placenta zonary. Most Carnivora have peculiar anal glands, 

 which emit an intense odour. The Carnivora are found in all 

 parts of the world, except Australia, where they are replaced by the 

 carnivorous Marsupials. Fossil remains first appear in the Eocene. 



