42 ORDER CARNARIA. 



3. From the mode of life followed by most of these animals, 

 it might be anticipated that their intestinal canal would be less 

 voluminous and shorter than it is in those mammiferous animals 

 which- are nourished by vegetable substances exclusively. The 

 Carnaria, to seize and devour their prey, which generally strug- 

 gles against them, require considerable strength in their jaws ; 

 therefore, the muscles which bring them together are very volum- 

 inous, giving to the heads of these animals very considerable size. 

 In general, these organs are very short, and the manner of articu- 

 lation of their lower jaw bone with the cranium, shows that their 

 teeth are designed either to cut flesh or to crush insects, but not 

 to grind herbs or roots : the articulation is transverse in its direc- 

 tion, and is as compact as a hinge, so as to prevent lateral motion, 

 and only permits the mouth to open and shut, like a pair of scissors. 



4. These animals differ very much from each other in their 

 forms and in their mode of living. They are divided into three 

 great families, to wit ; the Cheiroptera, the Insectivora and the 

 Carnivora, the distinctive characters of which are set down in the 

 following table : 



(Families.) 



Having a species of wings, formed by a fold' 

 of skin, which commencing from the sides of the 

 neck, extends between their four extremities, and ^Cheiroptera. 



their fingers. Molar teeth, either flat on the 

 crown, or armed with points. 



Order 



of 

 CARNARIA tir:^ _..*_: I moiar ieein, armeu wim cum- Insectivora. 



Carnivora. 



the by?* 58 1 Molar teeth,' trenchant or cut- 



FAMILY OF CHEIROPTERA. 



5. Most of the Cheiroptera are organized for flying rather than 

 walking; indeed, in these mammiferous animals, and even in 

 those that have not true wings, there exists, on each side of the 

 body, a species of great sail formed by a fold of the skin, which 

 extends from the neck to the hind-feet, and which extended and set 



3. In what respect does the intestinal canal of the Carnaria differ from 

 the intestinal canal of animals that live exclusively on vegetables ? Why 

 are the jaws and teeth of the Carnariu very strong ? What is the charac- 

 ter of the articulation of the jaw ? 



4. Do animals which belong to the order Carnaria differ much from each 

 other ? Into what f unilies is the orter Carnaria divided ? What are the 

 peculiarities of the Cheiroptera? What is the character of their molar 

 teeth ? 



What are the characters of the Insectivora? What is the character of 

 their molar teeth ? 



What is the character of the molar teeth of the Carnivora? 



5. For what kind of progression is the organization of the Cheiroptera 

 best adapted ? Do all the Cheiroptera possess wings 7 



