50 MAMMALIA-ORDER IV. CARNIVORA. 



gascar by burrowing beneath the roots of the plants in search of insects 

 and grubs. 



The last family of the Insectivora is represented by the golden or Cape 



moles (Chrysochioris)) which take their name from the iridescent golden, 



green, and purple metallic tints adorning the fur; and all of 



Golden Moles, which are restricted to South and East Africa. From the 



Family preceding families of the present section of the order the 



Chrysocliloridce. golden moles are distinguished by the possession of a bony 



zygomatic arch and auditory bulla in the skull; and their 



triangular molar teeth are remarkable for the height of their crowns. In 



form, these animals are shorter and thicker than ordinary moles, with the 



head deeper, and the muzzle much more blunt. The eyes are covered with 



skin, and the ears completely buried in the 

 fur. The fore-feet are modified into special 

 digging instruments, and have but four 

 toes, of which the middle pair are provided 

 with large and powerful triangular claws. 

 Usually there are 40 teeth, although in 

 some species the number is reduced to 



Fig. 29.-CAPE GOLDEN MOLB 86 > in 3, to **". loss * th ant erjor 



(Chrysochloris). premolars in eacli jaw. I he golden moles 



x burrow in much the same manner as the 



European mole, but their runs are made so little below the surface that the 

 earth is raised as a continuous ridge, and no hillocks are thrown up, Like 

 the common mole, they feed almost exclusively on earth worms. 



ORDER IV. CARNIYORA. 



FLESH-EATING MAMMALS. 



THIS great and important order of Mammals includes all the terrestrial beasts 

 of prey, together with the aquatic seals and walruses. Although their car- 

 nivorous propensities form one of the most distinctive features of the 

 majority of the members of the order, ifc must not be assumed that by any 

 means all the Garni vora are exclusively flesh-eaters, many of the bears feeding 

 largely on fruits and roots, while some of the smaller forms subsist largely 

 on insects. Whether the typical Carnivora are more highly organised animals 

 than the Primates, is a matter regarding which different views may be 

 entertained ; but it is certain that for their particular mode of life these 

 animals have attained the highest development of which the Mammalian type 

 is capable, and the beauty of form and coloration of the larger cats, as well 

 as their extreme agility, cannot but draw forth the admiration of all. A 

 striking feature of Carnivora in general is the wide geographical range of 

 families, genera and species, and the large number of specific types by which 

 the former are represented ; the order presenting in this respect a most 

 marked contrast to the Insectivora, in which, as shown above, most of the 

 families and genera have an exceedingly limited distribution, while the 

 number of species contained in a genus is usually very small. The reason 

 of this is obvious. Carnivora are enabled to obtain suitable prey in every 



