FOSSIL CARNIVORES, MARSUPIALS AND S:\IALL 



MAMMALS 



IN THE 



AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.^ 



By W. D. Matthew, Ph.D. 

 Associate Curator of Vertebrate Palaeontology. 



I. CARNIVORA. 



The Carnivora live principally on the flesh of other animals 

 and have teeth and claws adapted to such food. ]\Iost of them, 

 however, eke out their proper food, in times of scarcity, or for 

 mere variety, with berries, nuts, bulbs and roots or even with 

 grass, and some, at certain seasons, find little else available. 

 Carnivores have large canine teeth adapted for cutting or for cut- 

 ting and chewing, but never for grinding. All of them have 

 claws, and they use their feet in a more varied way than do 

 the Herbivora, for seizing and striking as well as for running and 

 jumping. They walk either upon the entire sole of the foot 

 (bears) or upon the under surface of the toes (dogs, cats etc.), 

 never upon the tips of the toes as do the hoofed animals 



There are three divisions : 



A, CREODONTA, OR PRIMITIVE CARNIVORA. Extinct 



land Carnivora with various primitive characters. None 

 now extant. 



B, FISSIPEDIA, OR TRUE CARNIVORA. Toes separate ; ter- 



restrial or amphibious ; preying on land animals. Mod- 

 ern beasts of prey. 



C, PINNIPEDIA, OR MARINE CARNIVORA. Web-footed, 



marine, fish-eating. Seals and Walruses. 



Fossil land Carnivora are more numerous and varied than 

 modem kinds. More than 250 fossil species have been described 

 from the United States alone, while but 94 living species are 

 recognized in this country. The majority of the fossil species 



'This article forms No. 17 of the Museum series of Guide Leaflets and may 

 be obtained in separate form. 



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