THE CAT'S PLACE 



NATURE. 



355 



some peculiarities of these internal organs. 

 The cat's tongue (Fig. x.) is, however, very 

 characteristic of the order, and is easily ob- 

 served. It is supplied with the usual glands 

 common to all mammals viz. tonsils (B), 

 flattened soft papillae (c), four circumvallate 

 papilla' (D), conical papillae (E), and the more 



complicated appearance as compared with the 

 simpler livers of other animals. The gall- 

 bladder is present in the usual position. The 

 cat's heart is somewhat small for the si/e of 

 the animal, and is not so pointed at its apex 

 as in other animals ; the veins entering the 

 heart, and the branching of the arteries leaving 



Fid. VIII. SKELETON OE A CAT. 



A. CERVICAL OR NECK BONES (7 in number). B. DORSAL OR THORACIC BONES (13 in number, each bearing a rib). C. LUMBAR 

 BONKS (7 in number). D. SACRAL BONES (3 in number). K. CAUDAL OR TAIL BONES (19 to 21 in number). 



i. Cranium, or Skull. 



2. Scapula, or Shoulder-blade. 



3. Clavicle, or Collar-bone. 



4. Humerus. 



5. Sternum, or Breast-bone. 



6. Phalanges of the Toes. 



7. Metac^rpal Bones. 



8. Carpal or Wrist-bones. 



9. Radius. 

 10. Ulna, 

 ii. Costal cartilages, uniting ends of Ribs 



to Sternum. 



12. Patella, or Knee-cap. 

 13. Tibia. 



14. Tarsal Bones. 



15. Metatarsal Bones. 



16. Phalanges of Hind Toes. 



17. Heel-bone, or " Calcis." 



18. Fibula. 



19. Femur, or Thigh-bone. 



20. Pelvis, or Hip-bone. 



minute fungiform papillae (F). The peculiarity 

 of the cat's tongue is that the conical papilhe 

 are specialised into horny processes or hooks, 

 as shown in E F, and are of value not only in 

 assisting to clear the flesh from bones, but are 

 of undoubted use in cleaning the animal's fur. 

 The cat also has the parotid, sublingual, and 

 other glands concerned in the preparation of 

 the food for primary digestion. 



The cat's liver is mainly on its right side ; 

 it is divided into several lobes, which give it a 



it, are nearly identical with those of closely 

 allied animals. The time required for the 

 complete circulation of the blood throughout 

 the body of the cat is fourteen to sixteen 

 seconds. The pulse, each beat of which corre- 

 sponds to one contraction of the left ventricle 

 of the heart, may easily be felt on the inner 

 side of the fore-paw, about an inch above the 

 prominence of the radius ; it may also be felt 

 at the same place as the horse's pulse on the 

 inner side of the lower jaw. There are two 



