540 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



The legs are nearly of equal size, and the hind-feet have 

 only four toes each, whilst the fore-feet have five. All the 

 toes are furnished with strong, curved, retractile claws, which, 

 when not in use, are withdrawn within sheaths by the action of 

 elastic ligaments, so as not to be unnecessarily blunted. The 



Fig. 207. Skull of Lion (Felts leo). 



tongue is roughened and rendered prickly by the presence of 

 horny papillae, thus rendering it a most efficient rasp in lick- 

 ing the flesh from the bones of the prey. All the members of 

 this group are exceedingly light upon their feet, and are exces- 

 sively muscular, and they have all the habit of seizing their 

 prey by suddenly springing upon it. 



It is questionable if any good genera have hitherto been 

 established in this family, and all the species may be considered 

 as belonging to the single genus Felis. 



The Lion (Felis leo) is too well known to require much spe- 

 cial notice. Its colour is always uniform, generally a yellowish 

 or reddish brown. The tail is terminated by a tuft of long 

 hairs, and the male is usually furnished with a mane, which is 

 very short, however, in an Indian form. The Lion is exclu- 

 sively confined to the Old World, and is an inhabitant of Africa 

 and all the southern parts of Asia. It is doubtful how far any 

 valid species of Lions have as yet been established. The 

 Lions are all nocturnal, and capture their prey by suddenly 

 leaping upon it. They are by no means the generous and 

 courageous animals they are generally considered to be; but, 

 on the contrary, are cruel, cunning, and cowardly. They are 

 enormously strong, and it is said that a full-grown Lion can 

 run, and even leap, though carrying an ox in its jaws. Though 

 now much restricted in its range, the Lion had formerly a much 

 more extensive distribution, a form considerably larger than 



