BASSARICYON. 71 
According to Mr. Allen, the skull of Bassaricyon presents considerable differences 
from those of Procyon, Nasua, and Bassaris, but shows most affinity with the two former 
genera. One of its most important characters is in the form of the auditory bulle, 
which converge behind; instead of in front as in most other Carnivores. Another is 
the manner in which the anterior root of the zygoma “expands abruptly outward in a 
nearly horizontal plane from the alveolar border of the maxilla, thus forming a nearly 
horizontal triangular expansion beneath the orbit—a feature not possessed by any of its 
nearest affines, and only approximated in Bassaris and in the Cats.” The general profile 
of the skull resembles that of Procyon; but the orbits are very large, the postorbital 
processes strongly marked, the temporal ridges widely separated, the bony palate flat, 
the front edge of the coronoid process nearly straight, and the angular portion of the 
mandible little developed. 
Zoologists can only look forward with impatience for further information as to this 
interesting form, which Mr. Allen believes will prove worthy to rank as: the type of a 
new subfamily, the Bassaricyonine. 
1. Bassaricyon gabbi. 
Bassaricyon gabbii, Allen, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1876, p. 23, pl. i. (descr. orig.)' [nec Allen, op. cit. 
1877, p. 267, pl. ii?; cf. Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. v. p. 169°]. 
Hab. Costa Rica (Gabb, U.S. Nat. Mus."). 
As observed above, the external characters of this animal are still quite unknown. 
The skull shows that in size it is probably inferior to either of the species of 
Bassaris ; and “the large size and position of the orbits, and the large bull, seem to 
indicate an animal of nocturnal habits. It is also evidently rather rare, or very difficult 
to obtain ; for Professor Gabb’s collection, which embraces very large series of the more 
common species, contains but a single example of this” *. 
By an accidental error, which must have been most annoying to so careful a zoologist, 
Mr. Allen was misled into supposing that a specimen of Naswa nasica, sent to him from 
the Washington Museum, was the lost skin corresponding to his typical skull, and, not 
being then familiar with the Central-American Coati, he consequently described and 
figured it as Bassaricyon gabbi*. He has since pointed out the mistake in his recent 
review of the genus Nasua °. 
3. BASSARIS. 
Bassaris, Lichtenstein, Abh. Ak. Berl. 1827, p.119; Isis, 1831, p. 423 (sine descr., ex Hernandez) ; 
Wagler, tom. cit. p. 513 (descr. orig.). 
This curious Central-American type was long referred to the Viverride, of which 
family it was supposed to be the only American representative. Mr. Waterhouse 
