282 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



the ferruginous Glutton, Gulo Castaneus. It measured 

 nearly four feet, from the nose to the end of the tail, which 

 was two-thirds the length of the body. It was long, slender, 

 and vermiformed like the Weasels ; but the limbs were ex- 

 tremely robust. The head was broad, and depressed ; the 

 eyes were very near the nostrils ; the ears were far back, 

 and the whole appearance of the animal strongly indicated 

 a predacious and savage nature. The fur was long and 

 rough, of a dark brown and chestnut-colour mixed ; the 

 tail was nearly black, and the feet sepia. The habitat and 

 manners of this animal were entirely unknown. 



The Digitigrades. 



We are now arrived at the second tribe of the Carnivorous 

 family, distinguished by their quick and light mode of loco- 

 motion on the extremities of the toes instead of the whole 

 sole of the foot, from heel to toe, in the manner of the 

 Plantigrades. 



This mode of arrangement, like every other human in- 

 vention, is imperfect, inasmuch as we observe certain spe- 

 cies, which by their general analogies, must be placed with 

 the Digitrade Carnivora, still to approximate the Planti- 

 grade mode of walking. 



Activity, and, consequently, the digitrade step, is a ne- 

 cessary ingredient to the perfection of carnivorous regimen. 

 All the species, therefore, in this tribe are more exclusively 

 flesh-eaters than the preceding tribe of the third, or Carni- 

 vorous family, of the order in question. 



The four first sub-divisions of the Digitigrades of our 

 author, distinguished by a single tuberculous tooth at the 

 back of the upper jaw, form a group which may be conve- 

 niently contemplated by the English reader, under the name 

 of Weasels, from which the true Viverrse are removed. 



It is extremely interesting to trace the progress of Nature, 

 in all her works, as she inclines from one state of things, 

 through various and almost imperceptible gradations, to 



