1881).] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 233 



conspicuous. The combined viverrine and musteline features in the 

 dentition of this and other genera have been fully described by 

 Schlosser, and such forms certainly seem to indicate a close con- 

 nection between the two families, while the relationship between the 

 civets and hyenas is very generally admitted and need not be dwelt 

 upon here. 



Schlosser's scheme (No. 14, p. 238) does not indicate any near 

 connection between the dogs and viverrines, which however, seems to 

 be equally clear. The skull of the White River species, f Cynodic- 

 tis gracilis, is interesting in this connection. In general character the 

 skull is distinctly cynoid, but the long, narrow and sharply constric- 

 ted cranium, the short, pointed face, and the slender mandible are 

 very suggestive of the Viverridce. The auditory bulla is marked by 

 an external constriction as in most of the latter family, though I 

 could not determine certainly the existence of a septum ; the bulla is 

 not in contact at all with the paroccipital. The condylar foramen 

 is much nearer to the foramen lacerum posterius than in Canis and 

 occupies the same position as in Viverra antiqua from St. Gerand-le- 

 Puv. The carotid canal is not enclosed in the foramen lacerum 

 posterius. The upper true molars are more viverrine than canine in 

 construction. The skeleton of this species is unfortunately not 

 known at present, but Cope has called attention to the exceedingly 

 viverrine character of the skeleton of the John Day species, C. 

 (Galeeynus) geismarianus. Schlosser likewise points out many 

 viverrine features in the structure of the European Cynodictis, and 

 it seems clear that, while Cynodictis should most probably be placed 

 in the cynoid series, it stands very near to the point of division where 

 the Canidce and the Viverridce. diverged. 



All of the carnivorous groups mentioned thus seem to come to a 

 common point of origin and their early representatives agree quite 

 closely in the characters of the skull and dentition. This primitive 

 carnivorous skull may be thus described. The cranium is much 

 elongated and very narrow; the elongation affecting chiefly the 

 posterior part and the region between the orbits and the post-orbital 

 constriction ; the parietal zone is very long and excludes the frontals 

 from contact with the cerebral hemispheres and there is a very long 

 and single sagittal crest ; the face is comparatively short and the 

 orbit is placed far forward; the mandible is slender and tapers 

 rapidly forward, and the teeth are relatively small. As to the base 

 of the cranium, this exhibits a combination of characters which are 



