674 MAMMALIA [CH. 



Order IV. Carnivora. 



The Carnivora are distinguished above all by their teeth (Fig. 

 317). They have small insignificant front teeth or incisors, but 

 the eye-teeth or canines, situated in the maxilla just where it 

 meets the premaxilla, are large and pointed. With these the animal 

 seizes and kills its prey. The premolars have cutting edges, consist- 

 ing typically of a large central cusp and two smaller ones, one in 

 front and one behind. The molars with the exception noted below 

 are broad and crushing (Figs. 317 and 338). The last premolar in 

 the upper jaw and the first molar in the lower jaw constitute what 

 are called the carnassial teeth. These are very large blade-like 

 teeth which bite on 'one another like a pair of scissors. The upper 

 one has enlarged central and posterior cusps, the anterior cusp 

 being small or wanting ; the lower carnassial has an anterior blade- 

 like portion consisting of two cusps and a posterior flattened portion 

 or heel. The nails are sharp curved claws. 



The most familiar examples of this class of animals are our Dogs 

 and Cats. The wild ancestors of the domesticated pets are unknown, 

 though the Dog's ancestors were no doubt allied to the Wolf, whereas 

 the Cat is probably descended from some species belonging to the 

 East, allied to but distinct from the Wild Cat, Fells catus, still 

 found in remote parts of Scotland and possibly in the mountains of 

 North Wales. Possibly the Domestic Cat has originated from the 

 Caifre Cat, F. caffra, which extends throughout Africa and was 

 considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, who embalmed their 

 bodies in such amazing numbers that their mummies have been 

 exported from Egypt and used as manure. 



In the Dog, Canis familiaris, and the other members of the 

 family CANIDAE, the muzzle is long and the teeth numerous. 

 Their arrangement can be expressed by the dental formula 



i. - , c. - , pm. - m. - = 42, where the upper line shows the teeth in 



the upper jaw, the under line those in the lower. The first figure 

 denotes incisors, the second canines, the third premolars and the 

 last molars. The hindermost back teeth, or molars, are still broad. 

 The fore-legs cannot be used for grasping. The claws are compara- 

 tively blunt and cannot be retracted. 



In the domesticated Cat, which is a typical member of the 

 Family Felidae, on the other hand the muzzle is short, and the 



