ORDER CARNASSIER. 401 



small tubercles, and terminating behind like the preceding 

 tooth. The series of teeth in this jaw is terminated by a 

 tuberculous one, which greatly resembles the carnivorous 

 tooth just described. 



From this description it is easy to see that the Suricates are 

 less carnivorous than the Mangoustes, and approach more to 

 the omnivorous character, not from the number of the tuber- 

 culous, but from the form of the carnivorous, teeth. The 

 mode of action in these teeth confirms this notion. Among 

 animals of prey the carnivorous teeth act one upon the other, 

 like the blades of a pair of scissors, and the lower carnivo- 

 rous passes completely behind that of the opposite jaw. 

 In proportion as the appetite is less sanguinary, the upper 

 carnivorous tooth advances, and the lower recedes, so that 

 they act but partially on each other. In the Mangoustes the 

 whole anterior part of the lower carnivorous acts against the 

 entire extent of the internal face of the upper. But this same 

 part in the Suricate corresponds to the vacuum left between 

 the opposite teeth, while its posterior part is in opposition 

 with the first tuberculous. Finally, the anterior part of the 

 upper carnivorous is opposed to the posterior part of the 

 last false molar. Thus we see that both the action and the 

 form of these teeth have many relations with those of the 

 insectivora. 



The Suricate has a very fine sense of smelling, which 

 neither detracts from the extent of the brain, nor causes 

 that preponderance in the sense of taste, which is usual 

 where the former organ is much developed. Among the 

 Cats, we find that where the brain is extended, the sense of 

 smell is feeble. The anterior extremity of the cerebal cavity 

 advances so as to correspond with the middle of the orbit, 

 and all the parts of the olfactory organ are much limited, 

 and likewise those of that of taste. In Dogs, the brain 

 also advances to the middle of the orbit, but the bones of 

 the nose are elongated, and the parts of the mouth extended 



