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Eating or feeding on flesh. The term is applied: (a) to animals which naturally seek flesh for food, as the tiger, dog, etc.; (b) to plants which are supposed to absorb animal food; (c) to substances which destroy animal tissue, as caustics.

A carnivorous quadruped (Proteles Lalandii), of South Africa, resembling the fox and hyena. See Proteles.

A large carnivorous reptile of the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has a shorter and broader snout than the crocodile, and the large teeth of the lower jaw shut into pits in the upper jaw, which has no marginal notches. Besides the common species of the southern United States, there are allied species in Sout…

A carnivorous quadruped of the genus Meles or of an allied genus. It is a burrowing animal, with short, thick legs, and long claws on the fore feet. One species (M. vulgaris), called also brock, inhabits the north of Europe and Asia; another species (Taxidea Americana or Labradorica) inhabits the northern parts of Nort…

A reddish yellow pigment present in human bile, and in that from carnivorous and herbivorous animals; the normal biliary pigment.

A genus of carnivorous mammals, of the family Canidæ, including the dogs and wolves. Canis major Etym: [L., larger dog], a constellation to the southeast of Orion, containing Sirius or the Dog Star. -- Canis minor Etym: [L., smaller dog], a constellation to the east of Orion, containing Procyon, a star of the first ma…

A carnivorous American Jurassic dinosaur allied to the European Megalosaurus. The animal was nearly twenty feet in length, and the skull bears a bony horn core on the united nasal bones. See Illustration in Appendix.

The animal that produces civet (Viverra civetta); -- called also civet cat. It is carnivorous, from two to three feet long, and of a brownish gray color, with transverse black bands and spots on the body and tail. It is a native of northern Africa and of Asia. The name is also applied to other species.…

A carnivorous animal (Canis latrans), allied to the dog, found in the western part of North America; -- called also prairie wolf. Its voice is a snapping bark, followed by a prolonged, shrill howl.

A carnivorous marsupial quadruped of Australia, belonging to the genus Dasyurus. There are several species.

An East Indian carnivorous mammal (Prionodon gracilis), resembling the civets, but without scent pouches. It is handsomely spotted.

r's devil or the sheriff's officer." Macaulay. -- Tasmanian devil (Zoöl.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus). -- To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]

A genus of carnivorous mammals, including the domestic cat, the lion, tiger, panther, and similar animals.

A carnivorous animal of the Weasel family (Mustela Canadensis); the pekan; the "black cat."

A carnivorous animal of the genus Vulpes, family Canidæ, of many species. The European fox (V. vulgaris or V. vulpes), the American red fox (V. fulvus), the American gray fox (V. Virginianus), and the arctic, white, or blue, fox (V. lagopus) are well-known species.

Any lizard of the family Geckonidæ. The geckoes are small, carnivorous, mostly nocturnal animals with large eyes and vertical, elliptical pupils. Their toes are generally expanded, and furnished with adhesive disks, by which they can run over walls and ceilings. They are numerous in warm countries, and a few species ar…

A carnivorous mammal (Gulo luscus), of the family Mustelidæ, about the size of a large badger. It was formerly believed to be inordinately voracious, whence the name; the wolverene. It is a native of the northern parts of America, Europe, and Asia. Glutton bird (Zoöl.), the giant fulmar (Ossifraga gigantea); -- called…

nually repeated to a varied melody. -- Ground beetle (Zoöl.), one of numerous species of carnivorous beetles of the family Carabidæ, living mostly in burrows or under stones, etc. -- Ground chamber, a room on the ground floor. -- Ground cherry. (Bot.) (a) A genus (Physalis) of herbaceous plants having an inflated ca…

deposits of Kansas, belonging to the Odontornithes. They had teeth, and were essentially carnivorous swimming ostriches. Several species are known. See Illust. in Append.

Any carnivorous mammal of the family Hyænidæ, of which three living species are known. They are large and strong, but cowardly. They feed chiefly on carrion, and are nocturnal in their habits. [Written also hyæna.]