30 TIU-: CAT 



tribe wishes to grasp anything, and use its 

 claws, it flexes the bones of its digital extremi- 

 ties, and tightening the tendon which is seen 

 on the imder-surface of both illustrations of 



FIG. 7. UPPER FIGURE : CLAW AT REST, HELD BACK 

 BY ELASTIC LIGAMENT. LOWER FIGURE : CLAW DRAWN 

 DOWN BY CONTRACTION OF TENDON BELOW, ELASTIC 

 LIGAMENT STRETCHED, AND CLAW PROTRUDING. 



Figure 7, it draws the claw forward and 

 downward, thereby stretching the elastic liga- 

 ment. This can readily be verified by taking 

 your own cat at perfect rest, and after patting 

 it gently on the head, pass the hand down over 

 the ends of the toes, when you will find that 



