158 



THE CAT TRIBE. 



The ridges for the attachment of the muscles 

 are very sHghtly developed, and both pre- 

 molars and molars few in number and very 

 rudimentary. The incisors and canines, 

 however, still preserve the hya;na type. The 

 molars and premolars are nothing but small 

 sharp lancet-shaped blades, and are placed so 

 far apart that they cannot fit into one another 

 when the mouth is closed. They are very 

 apt to fall out. In the specimens of the earth- 

 wolf best furnished in this respect there are 

 in all 30 teeth, four molars above, three 

 below, so similar in form that no distinction 

 could be pointed out between true molars and 

 premolars. Singularly enough, however, these 

 distinctions are found in the milk dentition, 

 in which there is a carnassial tooth. In this 



way it is proved that this form of dentition is 

 the result of a process of degradation whereby 

 the animal has got rid of a portion of the 

 carnivorous characters which belonged to its 

 ancestors. 



The earth-wolf lives in underground holes, 

 which it digs out very rapidly. It is said to 

 feed chiefly on lambs, and to be very fond of 

 the fat tails of sheep. Possibly this may be 

 so, but if we may judge from the dentition 

 we should expect it to live chiefly on prey 

 which it can snap up and swallow whole — 

 small lizards, locusts, and insects of all 

 sorts. Scarcely anything is known about its 

 mode of life, except that it is nocturnal in 

 its habits, and, as already intimated, has its 

 dwelling underground. 



THE CAT TRIBE 



(FELIDA). 

 Digitigrade carnivores, mostly with retractile claws and never more than 30 teeth. 



The Felida are without doubt the typical 

 carnivores. They combine an undeniable 

 grace with extraordinary strength, an innate 

 ferocity with the most gently caressing dis- 

 position. The flexibility of their limbs, the 

 adroitness which they show in their games 

 and their serious battles, the untamable spirit 

 with which they fight, the treacherous cares- 

 sing ways which they exhibit on favourable 

 opportunities, the mode in which they keep 

 their fur clean — that fur which is often so 

 richly adorned; all these qualities combined 

 would certainly have given these animals pre- 

 cedence as domestic animals over the Canida, 

 to which they are certainly equal in point of 

 intelligence, it their independent character, 

 their love of freedom and hatred of restraint, 

 did not throw obstacles in the way, The cat 

 is attached to its master, loves him, but does 

 not become his slave like the dog. It always, 



even in the most humble position, preserves 

 a remnant of its personal pride. Even in the 

 worst conditions the Felida always remain 

 free from disagreeable odours, and never 

 diffuse those ill-smelling effluvia of which the 

 dog-tribe and the hya;nas are so lavish. 



The head in the Felida is in general not 

 very large, but is always quite distinct from 

 the strong thick neck. It is round, almost 

 spherical, the profile of the brow mostly 

 curved, seldom flat as in the lion ; the muzzle 

 blunt, the lips thick, with strong tactile hairs 

 forming whiskers or moustaches; the ears 

 small, hairy, and very mobile; the eyes large, 

 separated by a pretty broad ridge of the nose, 

 the pupils mostly in the form of a vertical 

 slit, though in certain cases round. The 

 body is powerful, often pretty long, the tail 

 sometimes long, sometimes short ; the legs 

 strong, muscular, seldom long ; the paws 



