t)F TfiB ^ONGtES OF THt] MAMMALli. 149 



reaches edges of tongue. Basal conical papillse never form a 

 median strip-. 



Family IJycenidce : — Conical papillae behind spinous patch not 

 divided into central and lateral tracts. Patch never reaches edges 

 of the tongue. Basal conical papillse form a prominent central 

 strip. 



Family Protelidm : — Conical papillse behind spinous patch not 

 divisible into central and lateral tracts. Patch reaches margins 

 of tongue. Basal conical papillse never form a median strip. 



Family Felid^. 



A. Spinous patch begins close to apex of tongue, and is restricted 



to the anterior part of the dorsum. Papillae spinosai have 

 recurved points. No papilla? clavatse. 



i. Tongue separated from epiglottis by a long, smooth tract 



of mucous membrane Felis leo, F. onca. 



ii. Tongue not separated from epiglottis by a long, smooth 

 mucous tract. 



a. Papilla spinosse weak F. tigris. 



b. Papillae spinosse strong F.pardus. 



B. Spinous patch begins close to apex of tongue and i-eaches 



middle of oral part of dorsum. Points of papillge spinosse 

 recurved and strong. Basal conical papillse moderately 

 large or small. No papilla clavatse. 



i. Basal conical papillas moderately long and close F. yaguarimdi. 



ii. Basal papillse small and discrete F. concolor. 



C. Spinous patch begins far from apex of tongue. Papilla3 



spinosse have strong, straight points. Papilla? clavatse 

 present. 



a. Fungiform papillae on spinous patch F. caracal. 



b. No fungiform papillse on patch. 



i. Large fungiforms behind patch F. sylvestris. 



ii. Small fungiforms behind patch F. caffra, F. domestica. 



D. Spinous patch begins far from the apex of tongue. Papillse 



spinosse have strong, straight points. . No papilla; clavataj. 



a. Basal conical papilla scanty or absent F. pardalis. 



b. Basal conicals long, sharp, discrete F.viverrina, F.bengalensis. 



c. Basal conicals large and close F. nebulosa. 



E. Spinous patch begins far from apex of tongue, Papillaj 



spinosse have slender points. No papilla; clavataB. Basal 



conicals numerous, minute, close Cyncelurus. 



Pocock's classification (24) agrees with the above as follows : — 



Subfamily Pantherinse = Group A. 



„ Felinse = Groups B, C, D. 



,, Acinonychinse = Group E. 



As regards the Hysenidse and Protelidse the characters given 

 at the beginning of this section are all that can be obtained from 

 the tongue for purposes of classification. And the lingual 



