7 i8 



MAMMALIA. 



(i) ^ELUROIDEA 

 e.g. cat, civet, hyaena. 



(2) CYNOIDEA 

 e.g. dog, fox, wolf, jackal. 



Digitigrade. 



Typical dentition, 3531. 

 Jr 3 I2T 



The tympanic bulla is 

 much dilated, 

 rounded, and thin- 

 walled, and is divided 

 into two chambers 

 by an internal septum 

 (except in Hyaenidae). 



The paroccipital pro- 

 cess of the exocci- 

 pital is applied to the 

 hinder part of the 

 tympanic bulla. 



The csecum is small, 

 rarely absent. 



Digitigrade. 



Typical dentition, 3Ei?. 

 3H3 



The tympanic bulla is 

 dilated, but the in- 

 ternal septum is 

 rudimentary. 



The paroccipital pro- 

 cess is in contact 

 with the bulla, but 

 it is prominent. 



The csecum is some- 

 times short and 

 simple, sometimes 

 long and peculiarly 

 folded. 



(3) ARCTOIDEA 

 e.g. bear, otter. 



Plantigrade or sub- 

 plantigrade. 



Typical dentition, 3H?. 

 '' 3'43 



The tympanic bulla is 

 often depressed, and 

 there is no hint of an 

 internal septum. 



The paroccipital pro- 

 cess is quite apart 

 from the bulla. 



The caecum is absent. 



Digitigrade animals walk on their toes only ; plantigrade forms plant 

 the whole sole of the foot on the ground ; but between these conditions 

 there are all possible gradations. Many Carnivores are sub-plantigrade, 

 often when at rest applying the whole of the sole to the ground, but 

 keeping the heel raised to a greater or less extent when walking. 



(1) ^luroidea — Cat-like Carnivores. 



Family Felidse, including the most specialised forms. The canines 

 are large, the molars are reduced to \, the carnassials are the 

 last premolars above (with a three-lobed blade), and the 

 molars beneath (with a two-lobed blade). The tuberculated 

 upper molars are very small, and of little if any use in 

 mastication. The skull is generally rounded, the zygomatic 

 arches are wide and strong, and the tympanic bullae are large 

 and smooth. The limbs are digitigrade, the claws retractile. 

 There is no alisphenoid canal. The dentition of the typical 



genus Felis is ^£. The cats are the most specialised of all Car- 

 nivores, and are exclusively adapted for a flesh diet. The 

 sharp claws and pointed canines form powerful offensive 



