2 THE EOYAL TWEE OF EESGAL. 



It is of the — 



SuB-KiXGDOM . . . Vertehrata. 



Class Mammalia. 



Stib-Class Placentaria. 



Tribe Digitigrada. 



Order Carnivora. 



Family FelidcB. 



Genus Felis. 



Species Felis Tigris Linn., or 



T. Regalis of Gray. 



A few words in explanation of this formula may 

 not be out of place. 



The tiger is a vertebrate animal, whose embryonic 

 development is allantoid and placental ; a warm- 

 blooded, air-breathing creature that suckles its young 

 until they are old enough to follow their carnivo- 

 rous instincts and eat flesh; having all the ordi- 

 nary characters of other mammals with certain 

 modifications, which adapt it to its predatory and 

 carnivorous life, and place it in the feline family 

 of which it is a typical exemplar. It is unneces- 

 sary to enter into details of the characteristics of 

 the sub-kingdom, class, and order to which this 

 family belongs ; but it may be well to state briefly 

 those of the family itself. 



The felidse are the typical carnivores ; they are 

 distinguished by a rounded head, short but powerful 

 jaws, armed with formidable fangs and cutting teeth. 

 They have vigorous limbs, digitigrade feet armed 



