CHAPTER XIX. 



Carnivores, — concluded. 



Eared Seals, Walruses, and Seals. 



Families Otariidje, Trichechid^:, and Phocidje. 



The whole of the Carnivores treated of in the preceding chapters constitute the 

 more typical representatives of the order, and are hence collectively termed by 

 zoologists true or fissiped Carnivores. In contrast to these is a much smaller group 

 comprising the eared seals, the walruses, and the true seals, differing from the 

 above by their flipper-like limbs, and hence known as the pinniped or fin-footed 

 Carnivores. By some writers the pinnipeds are regarded as entitled to form an 

 order by themselves, quite distinct from the Carnivores ; but by the majority of 

 naturalists, in England at least, they are considered to form merely a sub-order. 



The members of the pinniped group have their entire organisation adapted 

 for an aquatic life; this adaptation showing itself most markedly in the 

 structure of their limbs. Thus both the fore and hind-limbs are modified into 

 paddle or flipper-like organs, with nearly the whole of their upper portions, as far 

 as the wrist and ankle, enclosed in the common integument of the body ; while the 

 feet themselves are greatly elongated — more especially in the hind-limb — and much 

 expanded, with the whole of the five toes completely connected together by web. 

 A peculiarity of the toes of the hind-foot is to be found in the circumstance that 

 the first and the fifth toes, that is to say those corresponding respectively with the 

 human great and little toes, are stouter, and in most cases also longer, than the 

 three middle toes; an arrangement which is quite unknown among the true 

 Carnivores, where the first toe is the shortest of the series. The pinnipeds are 

 also characterised by the structure of their teeth, which are simpler than those of 

 the true Carnivores, and never show a specially-modified "flesh-tooth" in one jaw- 

 biting against a somewhat similarly modified tooth in the opposite jaw. As I 

 general rule, the cheek-teeth comprise four premolars and one molar on either side 

 of each jaw ; all these teeth being very similar to one another in general structure, 

 and usually consisting of a pointed main cone, which may be flanked in front and 

 behind by smaller cones, so as to produce a tricuspid tooth. Moreover, the number 

 of incisor teeth is invariably reduced below the typical three pairs in each jaw 

 there being very frequently three pairs of these teeth in the upper, and two in tin- 

 lower jaw, or but two pairs in each jaw. Then, again, all the pinnipeds are 

 characterised by the reduced or rudimentary condition of their milk or baby series 

 of teeth ; these teeth being never of any real use to their owners, and being not 

 unfrequently shed previous to birth. The foregoing characteristics are amply 



