10 
CARNIVORA. 
drawing them back without opening the mouth. 
Toward the point they are furrowed longitudinally. 
The cheek-teeth exhibit all the marks of carni- 
vorous habits : they rise into several lobes or cutting- 
eminences, which are in shape something like the 
point of a lancet, or the teeth of a saw 5 but they 
differ in size and power. These lobes are cutting on 
either side, as well as at the point ; and they rise 
from the inner, as well as from the outer edge of the 
tooth. In other animals, in which the teeth cease 
to be cutting, and are blunt, rounded, tubercular, or 
hemispherical, they are more or less fitted for ve- 
getable food*; and, in proportion to the extent, 
either of cutting or tubercular surface on the cheek- 
teeth, is ,the animal more or less inclined to the cor- 
responding sort of aliment. The inner side of the 
last upper carnivorous tooth, in the cat tribe, has one 
small lobe, in a slight degree allied to the tubercular 
form. 
A reference to the figure will explain their shape 
and position more obviously. It will appear by this, 
that there are three carnivorous cheek-teeth above 
and below ; but there is a fourth cheek-tooth in the 
upper jaw, altogether differing from the rest, which, 
from its singular shape, position, and apparent office, 
may be called an auxiliary tooth. It is situate so as 
not to be seen, except by opening the mouth wide, 
and looking upward. It does not protrude from the 
* The purely herbivorous animals have no lobes on the cheek- 
teeth^ but they present a regular series and nearly an even surface. 
