MAMMALIA. 



41 



entirely concealed among the toes while in repose, by means 

 of elastic ligaments, lose neither their point nor edge ; sense 

 of smell less acute than among the Dogs ; tongue hard and 

 bristled with horny papillse, serving to rasp the soft portions 

 of their prey ; hearing well developed ; sight excellent ; open- 

 ing of the pupil round or vertical according to the mode of 

 life. They are formidable animals, capable of tearing to 

 pieces, with the greatest facility, the most powerful prey. 

 Lion, Tiger, Panther, Cougar, Lynx, Domestic Cat, &c. 



Tribe III. Amphibia. 



Feet so short and so enveloped in skin that they only serve 

 for creeping when upon land, but form excellent oars in the 

 water ; body much elongated ; spine very movable, and pro- 

 vided with muscles which strongly flex it ; five toes on all 

 the feet ; no clavicles nor bony rudiments suspended in the 

 flesh ; habitation most generally in the sea. Two genera. 



Genus I. Phoca. Seal. 



Four or six incisors above ; four or two below ; pointed 

 canines in both jaws ; grinders twenty to twenty -four, tren- 

 chant and conical, without any tuberculous portion ; five 

 toes to all the feet ; those on the fore feet decreasing from the 

 large to the little toe, while on the hind feet the large and 

 little toe are longest. There are two divisions — seals without 

 external ears and seals with external ears ; those without have 

 pointed incisors ; all the toes endowed with a certain motion, 

 and terminated by pointed claws placed upon the edge of the 

 membrane which unites them. Those with external ears 

 have the four upper incisors smaller, but with a double cut- 

 ting edge ; toes of the anterior limbs almost immovable ; all 

 the claws flat and thin. 



Genus IL Trïchecus, Lin. Morse. 



Under jaw without incisors or canines ; upper jaw furnished 

 with two long canines, like tusks, between which are two 

 incisors ; four cylindrical molars on each side and in each 

 jaw; dental system arranged rather for the breaking of 

 shells than for cutting soft substances or bruising vegetables. 



F 



