CARNIVORA. 



475 



perpendicular or directed rather forwards, par- 

 ticularly in the cats, the coatis, the badger, and 

 some others. In the dogs there are also small 

 inferior spinous processes. The dorsal region 

 varies much in its relative proportions with the 

 lumbar region and with the size of the animal ; 

 a point which will be more particularly alluded 

 to presently. The spinous processes are very 

 strong and strait, and directed backwards. 

 The number of the dorsal vertebra, and, con- 

 sequently, of the ribs, varies in the different 

 genera of the order, from thirteen, which is the 

 most common number, to sixteen, of which 

 we have an example in the Glutton (Gulo 

 articus). 



The lumbar vertebra are remarkably strong in 

 almost all the Carnivora, though less so than in 

 some other orders. The spinous processes are 

 long and directed forwards, particularly in the 

 cats and dogs. The transverse processes are 

 also very large and strong ; but the most im- 

 portant circumstance connected with the cha- 

 racter of these vertebrae is the relative propor- 

 tions which exist between them and the dorsal 

 in different species, not so much with regard 

 to number, as to the proportional extent of the 

 two regions. Tn respect even to number, the 

 variations of the lumbar vertebrae are not in- 

 considerable : thus, the Ratel and the Hyena 

 have only four, whilst the cats and many others 

 have seven. But we find that in those species 

 which, from their habits, require great power 

 of springing, of rapid running, or of great 

 flexibility of motion, the relative extent of the 

 lumbar region is increased in proportion. Thus, 

 whilst in the Hyena the lumbar region bears 

 to the dorsal only the proportional length of 

 four and a half to fourteen, and in the Ratel of 

 three to eight and a half; in the Lion we find 

 it as fifteen to eighteen, and in the Panther, the 

 Wild Cat and the Civet, the extent of the two 

 regions is almost exactly equal. This is a con- 

 sideration of great importance, not in the 

 Carnivora only, but in the Ruminantia and 

 other orders, where the different groups are 

 found to vary much in their powers of spring- 

 ing and their general activity : for the propor- 

 tion of the lumbar to the dorsal regions will 

 invariably be found in exact accordance with 

 the extent of those powers. 



The Sacrum is composed of several vertebrae, 

 as in most other mammifera ; in the present 

 order there are generally three or four, though 

 in the Brown Bear there are six (Cuvier says 

 five), and in the White Bear seven ; in the 

 Coati there is but one, and in the Hyena only 

 two. The spinous processes of the Sacrum 

 are more developed in this order than in many 

 others. Cuvier observes that, in those animals 

 which, from their habits, occasionally rise upon 

 their hinder legs and hold themselves upright, 

 the Sacrum is broader than in others of the 

 same order, and he instances the Brown Bear 

 in the present order as an example. 



The tail, consisting of the coccygeal vertebra, 

 varies excessively amongst the Carnivora, and 

 this in many cases in the same family, and 

 with but little obvious relation to the habits of 

 the species. As a general rule it may be ob- 



served that the most active, and those which 

 possess the most flexible spinal column, have 

 the greatest number of caudal vertebrae. Thus, 

 while the Brown Bear has only about six, the 

 Lion has twenty-three, and the Panther twenty- 

 four. 



In many of the Carnivora which have long 

 tails, the spinous processes are generally di- 

 rected from before backwards, but are always 

 very small, and exist only on the few anterior 

 vertebrae of the tail. The middle and posterior 

 coccygeal vertebra are therefore more deve- 

 loped in length and become almost cylindrical, 

 excepting that they are thicker at each extre- 

 mity. As in other orders, the anterior portion 

 only of the tail conveys the spinal marrow, 

 the posterior being impervious. The most im- 

 perfect developement of this portion of the 

 vertebral column is found in the Seals, in 

 which generally it is only the first vertebra 

 which possesses even a trace of spinous and 

 transverse processes, the remainder being al- 

 most cylindrical, without even any enlargement 

 at each extremity. 



The ribs correspond in number with the 

 dorsal vertebrae. Their curvature varies con- 

 siderably both as regards the different portions 

 in the same species and the general form in 

 different groups. In many of the mammifera 

 the difference in this respect between the an- 

 terior and middle regions of the thorax is very 

 Striking; this, however, is generally not so 

 much so in the present order, in which, as a 

 general rule, the anterior ribs are not less 

 arched than the others. The anterior ones, 

 however, are very much smaller and shorter 

 than the middle and posterior. The relative 

 number of true and false ribs would, a priori, 

 appear to have some relation to the degree of 

 rapidity or of flexibility in the animal's move- 

 ments; and hence that those which leap or 

 swim would require greater mobility of the 

 thorax, and consequently a greater proportion 

 of false ribs. Now, although this is strikingly 

 the case with regard to some of the cetacea, 

 which have only from one to five fixed ribs, 

 and from ten to seventeen false, yet no such 

 rule is observable in the present order; the 

 Seal and the Lion having even a less propor- 

 tion of moveable ribs than the Bear and the 

 Glutton. 



The sternum in the Carnivora does not vary 

 greatly in breadth in its different portions. It 

 is much more developed longitudinally in these 

 animals than in most others, and is scarcely 

 broader than it is deep. The anterior piece of 

 this bone in the Seals is remarkably long, and 

 is also moveable. 



The shoulder, composed of the same ele- 

 ments as in the other mammifera, varies, how- 

 ever, considerably in the degree of develope- 

 ment of the bones of which it is formed. The 

 scapula is depressed and remarkably broad 

 from the anterior to the posterior margin, and 

 in some cases as in the Badger especially, 

 and in some degree in the Bear it assumes 

 almost a quadrate form. The spine of this 

 bone, which in the Seal is very small, is of 

 great size and strength in the bear tribe, par- 



