MAMMALIA. 531 
characters of the earliest Ungulata and Jnsectivora. The 
dog has very nearly the typical Eutherian dentition, and 
the bears, show the primitive plantigrade mode of pro- 
gression. The extinct Cveodonta have more generalised 
characters. “The scaphoid and lunare were not fused, 
the feet were plantigrade and pentadactyle, the femur had 
a third trochanter, and some of them appear to- have had 
3 molars, thus completing the typical dentition. The 
formation of the teeth was, however, distinctly carni- 
vorous, with large canines and cutting-molars, though 
“carnassials” were not so distinctly defined. Hence we 
may with some certainty suppose that the earliest carni- 
vore was plantigrade, pentadactyle, teeth ‘carnivorous ” 
and diphyodont, formula $143, probably scaphoid and 
lunare fused. 
2. Since the divergence from a common ancestor, 
each has changed by the adoption of a digitigrade pro- 
gression, loss of hallux, and reduction of pollex, develop- 
ment of cranial crests and temporal fossa, loss of last 
upper molar. 
3. At the same time the two have diverged into sepa- 
rate families by the greater “carnivorous” progress of the 
cat, involving shorter jaws, less teeth, retractile claws and 
other differences noticed above. 
The differences between dog and cat are of the family 
grade, or little beyond, but those between horse and ox are 
subordinal and therefore greater. 
The carnivorous diet largely releases a mammal from 
distributional limits of temperature, as its food is cosmo- 
politan; hence the Camde are universally distributed 
(except in oceanic islands), whilst the Fedde are found 
everywhere, except in Madagascar, Notogeea and oceanic 
islands. 
The Fedde, representing the culminating point of the 
Carnivora, must be regarded as one of the most successful 
types of the /ammalia. They are pre-eminent for physical 
and intellectual strength, great “ slimness” and alertness, 
for an absolute disregard of the feelings, and the power 
and will to profit by the toil and mishaps, of others. 
Such traits carry all the elements of success. 
