186 PHILOSOPHY OF ZOOLOGY. 



niinished number and size of the bruising ones, intimate 

 the most sanguinary of animals. The species are nume- 

 rous, but ill defined, as the characters have chiefly been 

 taken from the colour markings of the fur. 



Dr FoRSTER proposes a very natural division of this 

 genus unto Jubata, including the Lion : Aelures, consisting 

 of tigers, cats, &c. and Lynces, or those with a brush of 

 liairs on the tips of the ears, as the Lynx, caracal, serval, 

 &c* 



Feet webbed, hinci-legs adapted Jbr swimming. 



PALMATA. 



The legs are short, and much enveloped in the skin, 

 so as to execute on land the motion of crawling, rather than 

 running. The pelvis is remarkably narrow, and the hind 

 feet approach the tail, and are spread out horizontally -f-. 

 The fingers and toes are connected by webs. The chief 

 motions are executed in the water, although sleep and par- 

 turition are performed on shore. All their food is from 

 the water, and consists of fishes. 



1. Incisors and tusks in both jaws. Condyles of the lower 

 jaw retained in their sockets. 



are much larger than the former. The high value which was set upon do- 

 mestic cats in the ninth century, as appears from the Welch laws of Howel 

 the Good ; the price of a kitten, before it could see, being a penny ; until it 

 caught a mouse, twopence ; and when it commenced mouser, fourpence ; 

 militates against the commonly received opinion. It is piobable ihat the 

 domestic kind is originally from Asia. 



» Phil. Trans. 1781. p. 2. 



-j- The position of the feet indicates an approach to the tail of the whale, 

 as may be seen, Plate I. Fig. 3., in which there is a representation of the 

 common seal, u-ith tlic feet and tail apart. 



