74 



MAMMALIA— ORDER IV.—CARNIVORA. 



Fig. 42.— Cape Huntino-Doo 

 (Jjycaon pictus). 



size, and marked with unsymmetrical blotches of white, yellow, and black, 

 the distribution of which shows considerable individual variation, lumbers 

 combine in packs to hunt their prey, A second well-marked 

 Otlier Genera, genus of the GanldcB is formed by the bush-dog (Icticyon 

 venaticus) of British Guiana and Brazil, which is a dark- 

 coloured animal not larger than a fox, with a short, sparsely -haired tail, 

 short limbs, very small ears, close hair, and a very aberrant dentition. In 

 the first place, the number of molars is reduced to one pair in the upper and 



two in the lower iaw, while the 

 lower carnassial has no cusp on the 

 inner side of the blade, and its 

 posteriiir heel is secant Instead of 

 tubercular, so that practically the 

 entire tooth is reduced to a cutting 

 blade. The last member of the dog 

 family is Lalande's fennec (Otocyon 

 mcijnlotis) of South Africa, which, 

 while agreeing in many respects 

 with the true fennecs, has very 

 much larger ears, but is specially 

 distinguished by having four pairs 

 of lower molar teeth, and either 

 three or four pairs of the same in 

 the upper jaw, the total number of 

 teeth thus being either 46 or 48. Its habits are like those of the fennecs. 



In the_ three remaining families of the terrestrial Carnivora the auditory 

 bulla of the skull possesses a simple undivided septum, and its bony external 

 tube, or meatus, leading to the outer ear, has its lower 

 margin considerably produced, while the triangular paroc- 

 cipital process stands quite apart from the bulla. In the in- 

 testine the blind appendage or coecum is entirely absent. The 

 bears themselves are specially characterised by the broad, flat, 

 tuberculated crowns of the molar teeth, of which there are two upper and three 

 lower pairs ; and likewise by the rudi- 

 mentary development of the first three 

 pairs of premolars in each jaw, which are 

 in many cases entirely lost. The upper 

 carnassial is very short and triangular, 

 and both this tooth and the lower car- 

 nassial have but little resemblance to the 

 true sectorial type, as shown in the cats 

 and dogs. In the skull the auditory bulla 

 is very flat, and scarcely at all inflated. 

 The large feet are furnished with five toes 

 each, and are completely plantigrade ; 

 while their long and slightly compressed 

 claws are non-retractile. The body is 

 very stout, the tail short, the ears moderate, the hair generally long and 

 loose, and the gait clumsy and shambling. Bears go about either in 

 pairs or in small family-parties, and are all excellent climbers. Most 

 of them eat roots, fruits, and other vegetable substances, although they 



^^ jjg.^^1 animals and carrion; and in cold 



Tlie Bear Tribe. 

 — Family 

 Ursidce. 



Fig. 43.— Busn-Doo 

 (^Icticyon venaticus}. 



wili also consume the flesh 



