Systematic Course. 71 
premolars (carnassial) being often modified for entting. 
The more important species which occur in India belong 
to the families Ursidw, Mustelide, Canidw, Hyznida, 
Viverride, and Felidz. The students should go over 
the specimens of carnivora (especially skulls) in the School 
Museum and be able to recognise the groups given 
below :— 
(a) The Urside comprise the bears, which have planti- 
grade feet, and two molars above and three below, 
with broad tubereulated crowns, ; 
(6) The Mustelide contain the martens, weasels, bad- 
gers and otters. They have but one true molar 
behind the carnassial tooth above. The body is 
long and the limbs short. Five toes usually 
present, both in front and behind, 
(c) The Canide contain dogs, wolves, jackals, and 
foxes. They are digitigrade carnivora, with non- 
retractile claws. The wild sppcies to be found in 
India all have four toes behind and five in front, 
the pollex (thumb) being much shorter than the 
other digits and not reaching the ground. There 
are four premolars and two molars above." 
(@) The Hyenide contain the common striped hyena, 
which is at once recognisable by the prominence of 
the bony crest in front of the head and the 
relative shortness of the hind legs, It has non-re- 
tractile claws, but the teeth approach those of the 
cats in the small development of the molars, of 
which there is but one in the upper jaw. 
(e) The Viverrida contain the civets, paradoxures (tree- 
civets), mungooses and their allies. They are 
closely related to the Felid, but differ from this 
family in their elongated heads and more numer- 
ous back teeth. They are distinguished from the 
Mustelide in having the auditory bulla of the” 
skull rounded in shape. 
(f) The Felide contain all the cats, including the 
tiger, lion, leopard, cheeta, lynx, and snow leopard. 
They are distinguished from other carnivora by 
1 Jackals are omnivorous and do a good deal of damage by feeding on sugarcane stalks, 
They also eat coffee berries and aid very largely in thedistribution of this plant, for the 
seed passes through their digestive orgaus without injury. The fact is said to be so well 
known that in parts of Madras the right to collect what is known as “Jackal coffee” in 
the forest is let out on lease. 
