ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



73 



intended -Bears to do this. The Bear rises up in an erect 

 posture when defending itself with its front paws, and if it 

 manages to get hold of its foe it gives it a hug which, 

 though very close, is anything but friendly. 



Figs. 32 and 33 show you the soles of the feet of bears, 

 and if you contrast them with the foot of a Lion, which 

 you will meet with further on, you will at once see how 

 differently they are formed. Fig. 34 is a drawing of a 

 Polar Bear, one of the species which lives in the most 

 frozen regions of the world. He can swim and dive in a 

 wonderful manner, and buries himself in snow, or huddles 

 up in some cleft in a huge mass of ice, and so passes his 

 winter. 



Bears are not quite as carnivorous as the other members 

 of the order, for, although they take animal food when 

 they can get it (the Grisly Bear of "North America attacks 

 and even vanquishes the Bison, and the Polar Bear devours 

 fishes, portions of Whales, &c.), still they all eat vegetable 

 substances, and the Polar Bear will devour mountain 

 berries, sea-weed, &c. Their molar teeth are adapted for 

 crushing instead of cutting. 



Racoons are very much like bears, but are smaller, 

 have longer tails, and can climb better. They sleep all 

 day and prowl about near the margin of rivers, swamps, 

 and the sea-shore at night. They have the strange habit 

 of never eating anything until they have dipped it in 

 water, and are particularly clever in opening oysters. 

 The Badger and Glutton also belong to the Planti- 

 grade Carnivora. 



The Digitigrade Carnivora. The Digitigrade Car- 

 nivora are divided into Cats, Hysenas, Civets, Dogs, Pole- 

 cats, Martens, and Otters. 



Cats. At the head of the Feline or Cat-tribe, stands 

 the Lion, Fig. 35, which, indeed, is a worthy representa- 

 tive of the tribe. The claws of all the members of this 



