2 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



four, are always provided with claws, which may be 

 retractile that is, capable of being withdrawn at will 

 within a natural sheath or otherwise. The shape and 

 arrangement of the teeth, too, are similar. There are 

 generally three pairs of incisors, or front teeth, in the 

 upper and lower jaws, and there are always on each 

 side of the mouth, two carnassial, or canine teeth 

 one above and the other below which form a pair of 

 blades acting on one another like scissors. 



Terrestrial carnivora- flesh-eating mammals which live 

 on land include, of course, many different types of 

 animals. In order, therefore, to prevent confusion in 

 studying them, they are further split up into three great 

 divisions the cats, the dogs, and the bears. The animals 

 belonging to each of these divisions have certain points 

 in common with regard to the structure of their bodies, 

 and it is by means of these likenesses that we are enabled 

 to classify them. 



(A) The first division the cats is made up as 

 follows : 



(1) THE CAT FAMILY, which consists of the true cats, 

 and the Chita. 



The former are more specialized, more fully adapted 

 for their peculiar conditions of life, than any other 

 of the carnivora. The head is short and rounded, 

 the teeth are reduced in number and modified in 

 shape to fit them for the work they have to do, while 

 the claws are long, sharp, and fully retractile. They 

 comprise in Africa, the following species : The lion, 

 the leopard, the serval, the black-footed wild cat, the 

 African wild cat, the African tiger-cat, the jungle cat, and 

 the caracal. 



(2) THE VIVERRINE FAMILY. This is a very large 

 family. Its members are animals possessed of long heads 



