AMERICAN BIG GAME 287 



regularly, and renewed in the fall and spring. The summer 

 coats are much thinner than the winter fur, and only the 

 latter has any value as peltry. 



The different families of mammals bear no such strong 

 resemblance to each other as we found among the different 

 families of birds. Very conspicuous differences are ex- 

 hibited in the shape of the limbs and in the dentition. 



The feet of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, and deer end in 

 hoofs. These are therefore called Ungulates, or Hoofed Ani- 

 mals. Among them we easily distinguish the omnivorous 

 hogs from the strictly herbivorous deer, cattle, sheep, and 

 the one-hoofed horses. Both deer and cattle are ruminants, 

 but the latter are easily distinguished from the former by 

 their permanent horns. 



Of those mammals whose feet are provided with claws, 

 dogs, wolves, foxes, and the different members of the cat 

 family have long, pointed eyeteeth, or canines, and sharp, 

 pointed molars. These molars are well fitted to shear meat 

 and crush bones, but they could not grind up hard seeds 

 and herbs. Animals with such dentition live on the flesh 

 of warm-blooded animals, e.g. on birds and mammals. They 

 are not cruel or bloodthirsty in the real sense of the word ; 

 for they have to kill their prey, or starve themselves. 

 These animals we call Flesh-eaters, or Carnivores; and the 

 large ones are often called Beasts of Prey. The flesh-eaters 

 prevent small and large rodents and all herbivores from 

 unduly multiplying, and compel them to exercise their 

 limbs and their wits. Whenever animals have been found 

 that had no enemies, they were always very dull brutes, 

 and were soon exterminated by man. The carnivores are 

 therefore by no means superfluous or injurious in the 

 economy of wild nature, although they may be injurious, 

 or even dangerous, to man. A small order of mammals, to 

 which the Bats belong, are Insectivorous. 



