176 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1879. 



with the mouth closed, for the latter could not have been opened 

 sufficiently to allow any object to enter it from the front. Even 

 were it opened so far as to allow the mandible to pass behind the 

 apices of the canines, there would appear to be some risk of the 

 latter's becoming caught on the point of one or the other canine, 

 and forced to remain open, causing early starvation. Such may 

 have been the fate of the fine individual of the S. neogaeus, Lund, 

 whose skull was found in Brazil by Lund, and which is familiar 

 to us through the figures of Dr. Blainville, etc. 



Description of New Species. 

 Dinictis cyclops. 



The species of Dinictis differ in the proportions of their ante- 

 rior molar and canine teeth as follows: 



First inferior molar one rooted ; first superior molar two 

 rooted ; superior canine short, robust ; large. 



D. intermedia. 1 

 First inferior molar one rooted ; superior canine compressed ; 

 two inferior incisors. D. squalidens. 



First inferior molar two rooted ; first superior molar one 

 rooted; canine long, compressed. D. cyclops. 



First molar of both jaws two rooted ; canine long, com- 

 pressed. D.felina. 



In the D. cyclops the first superior molar is rudimental, and 

 will probably be found to be wanting in some specimens. The 

 second premolar has a distinct anterior tubercle on the inner side, 

 a character not seen in D.felina ; the anterior angle of the supe- 

 rior sectorial is more produced than in that species. The crown 

 of the superior tubercular looks partly inwards, is rather long, 

 and has three roots. The superior canine is quite long, and has 

 a regularly lenticular section, without facets. Its anterior and 

 posterior edges are denticulate. The external incisors are much 

 larger than the internal, and have subconic crowns. The crowns 

 of the others are subcuneiform. The inferior canines are consider- 

 ably larger than the incisors. The latter are regular, and do not 

 overlap each other. The second and third inferior premolars 

 have well-developed basal lobes anteriorly and posteriorly. The 



1 Aelurogale intermedia, Filhol. 



