THE CAT FAMILY 107 



gentle creatures of the animal world would increase to such 

 an extent as to prove a positive scourge in the regions which 

 they inhabit. Except for one family, the Carnivores of the 

 land are terrestrial animals, but many of them are expert 

 swimmers, and equally agile climbers. 



Most of the Carnivora have the sense of smell most 

 acutely developed ; their sight is keen, and their hearing 

 remarkably delicate ; all of which are in perfect accord 

 with their special construction to overcome the animals 

 upon which they live. 



The Cat, Dog, and the Bear are the most typical of the 

 beasts of prey, and give their names to the three sections 

 into which the land Carnivores may be divided. In this 

 connection we have to bear in mind that such animals as 

 the Civets and Ichneumons are included with the Cats ; 

 the Wolf and Fox are allied to the Dog ; and the Bear 

 section comprises not only the true Bears, but also the 

 Raccoons and the whole of the Weasel tribe, Otters, &c. 



FAMILY FELID^E (CATS). 



The Cats are undoubtedly the best developed and the 

 most beautiful members of the whole order of the Carnivora. 

 As they are all constructed upon the same principles, our 

 domestic pussy, which is the only one of the forty species 

 entirely subjected to man, will well serve as a model by 

 means of which to point out their chief characteristics. 

 From the lion, which strikes down and carries off an ox, 

 down to the frolicsome kitten pouncing upon its first mouse, 

 all are flesh-eaters and destroyers of living animals. All of 

 them have rounded heads and a special development of 

 teeth and claws, together with muscles to control them. 

 There are three incisor or cutting teeth in the front of each 

 jaw, next to which are four powerful and sharply pointed 

 canines, which are popularly called fangs. There are no 

 true grinders, for even the ten premolars and the four molars 

 have more or less sharp cutting edges and conical points. 

 Consequently the Cats cannot masticate their food, but can 

 only eat by snatch and swallow. 



Their hind feet have the full complement of toes, i.e., 



