340 IMAMMALIA. 



mere rudiments. The conclusion to be drawn from this fact is, 

 that these animals do not possess a power of mastication suit- 

 able for feeding on tough and muscular flesh, and that therefore 

 something more easy of mastication, owing to the commencement 

 of decomposition, is necessary for their nutriment. Observation 

 has confirmed these conjectiu-es. The Aard Wolf lives princi- 

 pally on the flesh of very young or immature Ruminants. It, 

 however, wiU occasionally attack adult Sheep, or equally defence- 

 less animals. They also are frequenters of grave- j^ards. 



There is not much kno-rni about the habits of this animal. It 

 has, however, been ascertained that it digs burrows, in which 

 it retires during daj'light. It is a native of Southern Africa, the 

 Mozambique Coast, Nubia, and Abyssinia. 



The Felid.t,. — The Feline or Cat tribe form a strongly marked 

 and easily characterised family. 



They have a round head ; jaws short, and consequently very 

 powerful, armed with sharp teeth ; the tongue bristling with 

 hovny. papillce, which produce the same sensation as a rasp when 

 drawn across the bare skin, wounding by mere licking ; they 

 possess five toes on the front and four on the hind feet ; claws 

 sharp- cutting, pointed, and retractile, except in the Hunting 

 Leopard ; eyes yellow, and organised for nocturnal vision ; the 

 ears well open, but slightly developed. If, to these various 

 features, we add a digitigrade tread, an elegant shape, and an 

 astonishing degree of suppleness and activity enabling them to 

 spring immense distances, we shall be able to form some general 

 idea of these formidable quadrupeds. 



And, in fact, most formidable they are ! for amongst them are 

 found the Lion, Tiger, Panther, &c., — the largest, the best armed, 

 and the most sanguinary of the Carnivorous Order. They feed, 

 except in rare cases, on none but living victims, the palpitating 

 flesh of which \hery rend to pieces with savage energy. Although 

 the various species difier much in sixe, they are all alike in their 

 mode of attacking, their method of contending with, and ulti- 

 mately killing, their victims. As a rule, they take them by sur- 

 prise ; for they are not possessed of that courage which people are 

 pleased to attribute to them. Crouched in some hidden retreat, 

 silently and patiently they await their prey ; and as soon as within 



