340 MAMMALIA: FER. — LIII. 
Orver LIT. FER. (Tue Fiesu-EaTers or CARNIVORA.) 
Canine teeth distinct, conical; molars more or less adapted for 
cutting; clavicles imperfect or wanting; toes provided with claws ; 
skin covered with hair or fur; alimentary canal short. General 
structure in accordance with the predatory life led by all these 
animals. (Lat., ferus, a wild beast; the name Fere of Linnzus is 
much older than Cuvier’s term Carnivora, which is in general use.) 
Families of Forex. 
a. Limbs short, unfitted for walking; the toes united in a flat paddle, from 
which only the claws project; no external ear; tail very short; eyes 
large; incisors often less than §. (Pinnipedia.)1 
4. Hind limbs directed backwards, used only in swimming; claws strong; 
neck short. . . . 2 «© «© «© «© 6 «© « « © » PHOCIDA, 198. 
aa. Limbs fitted for walking; the toes distinct; incisors §. (/issipedia.) 
5. Hind feet with 5 toes. 
c. Feet fully plantigrade; sectorial teeth and the molars behind them all 
tuberculate. 
d. Tail well developed; body rather slender, the snout sharp, 
PROCYONID”, 199, 
dd, Tail rudimentary; body very robust; snout not acuminate. 
Ursin, 200. 
cc. Feet sub-plantigrade or digitigrade; only one tuberculate molar, the 
sectorial premolar of typical form. . . . . Musre.ips, 201. 
bb. Hind feet with 4 toes. 
e. Teeth 42; claws not retractile; snout more or less produced. 
Canip&, 202. 
ee. Teeth 28 to 30; claws retractile into «a sheath; snout short, the 
head broad. . . . «ew ee @ © et  6FELIDS, 203, 
Famiry CXCVIII. PHOCIDA. (Tue True SzAts.) 
Seals with the fore limbs well forward; neck short; hind limbs 
directed backward, useless on land; hand and foot hairy; nails 
usually well developed ; no external ear. Other characters further 
distinguishing these seals from the Fur Seals and Sea-Lions (Ota- 
riide), and the Walruses (Odobenide), are drawn from the skele- 
ton. Genera 10-11; species numerous; found on most coasts, 
swimming freely in the water and feeding chiefly on fishes, resting 
and sunning in the rocks on the shore, sometimes breeding on float- 
ing ice. 
a. Incisors usually 33; interorbital region very narrow; nails of all digits 
well developed (other characters drawn from the skull). (Phocine.) 
6, Snout narrow; incisors simple, conical . . . . . . Puxoca, 594. 
1 The Eared Seals (Otariide) and Walruses (Odobenide), having external ears, 
and limbs used for walking, form a distinct suborder, Gressigrada, containing the Sea 
Lions, Fur Seals or Sea Bears, and the Walrus. 
