584 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



the last molar in the upper jaw, which is tuberculate. The 

 upper camassial has three lobes, and a blunt heel or interijal 

 process. The lower oarnassial has two cutting lobes, and no 

 internal process. According to' Owen, the dental formula is — 



. 3 — 3 I — 1 3 — 3 I — I 



The legs are nearly of equal size, and the hind-feet have 

 only four toes each, whilst the fore-feet have five. All the 

 toes are furnished with strong, curved, retractile claws, which, 

 when not in use, are withdrawn within sheaths by the action 

 of elastic ligaments, so as not to be unnecessarily blunted. 



Fig. 227. — Skull of Lion {FeUs letf). 



The tongue is roughened and rendered prickly by the presence 

 of horny papillae, thus rendering it a most efficient rasp in 

 licking the flesh from the bones of the prey. All the njembers 

 of this group are exceedingly light upon their feet, and are 

 excessively muscular, and they have all the habit of seizing 

 their prey by suddenly springing upon it. 



It is questionable if any good genera have hitherto been 

 established in this family, and all the species may be con- 

 sidered as belonging to the single genus Pe/is. 

 . The Lion {J^e/is leo) is too well known to require much spe- 

 cial notice. Its colour is always, uniform, generally a yellow- 

 ish or reddish brown. The tail is terminated by a tuft of long 

 hairs, and the male is usually furnished ,with a mane, which is 

 very short, however, in an Indian form. The Lion is exclu- 

 sively confined to the Old World,, and is an inhabitant of Africa 

 and all the southern parts of Asia. It is doubtful how far 



