76 THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



family are retractile that is, they can be drawn in when 

 the animal is walking, anp! extended when required for 

 active service. Did you never shake hands with pussy 

 when she has her gloves on? If you were to try to do 

 the same just as she is about to spring on a rat or 

 mouse, you would not find the paw quite so soft and 

 velvet-like ; this is because the claw is drawn in by a 

 muscle and doubled under the foot ; and further under- 

 neath the foot the feline animals have a soft elastic 

 cushion that black India -rubber -like pad which 

 enables pussy to come into a room without being heard, 

 or to walk about amongst the crockery on the shelves of 

 a cupboard without breaking a single thing. Then, again, 

 did you ever look at a cat's tongue ? It is covered with 

 little prickles which bend backwards, and, of course, in 

 the larger species these are very strong, so that the 

 animals can scrape off the flesh from bones as with a 

 rasp. All these animals have skeletons which are won- 

 derfully elastic, and still very strong ; this is in order to 

 enable them to spring with ease, and to squeeze through 

 very narrow openings in hedges, thickets, and other places 

 through which they pursue their prey ; and their eyes have 

 been already described. This group includes the Lion, 

 Tiger, Panther, Leopard, Jaguar, Lynx, Cat, &c. 



Fig. 36 is the skull of a Lion, showing the form of 

 teeth of carnivorous animals. Figs. 37 and 38 show the 

 lion's claw when sheathed and unsheathed. 



The Hyaenas have only four toes on each foot, and 

 their claws are not retractile. These animals feed 

 principally on dead prey ; they come out at night from 

 their homes amongst ruins or caverns, and then prowl 

 about, eating anything they can find 



The Civets are natives of Africa, but are found also 

 in Holland, which country carries on a considerable 

 trade in a perfume obtained from these animals. The 



