PROTELEin.E 



539 



small size of the teeth (Fig. 243), in consequence of which it was, 

 when first discovered, placed in the order Insectivora. Dentition 



:;> 



l ' 



r 



i ■ 



Fig. 243. — Skull of Eupleres goudotl. { natural size. 

 Mas. Roy. Coll. Surgeons. 



m f ; total 40. Vertebra? : C 7, D 13, L 7, S 3, C 20. 

 No alisphenoid 

 canal : an entepi- 

 condylar fora- 

 men to the hum- 

 erus. But one 

 species is known, 

 E. goudoti. 



Extinct Gen- 

 era. — The Ter- 

 tiaries of the Old 

 World have 



yielded several genera allied to the existing Viverroids, some of 

 which show decided signs of affinity with other families. Of these 

 the Lower Miocene Amphictis appears to be nearly related to Viverra, 

 but is distinguished by the form of the second lower molar, which is 

 longer and has two distinct roots. Palceoprionodon, of the French 

 Phosphorites, has a dentition very like that of Prionodon, the molars 

 being reduced to J ; the skull has an alisphenoid canal and the 

 general basal characters of the Viverridce, but resembles the Mustelidai 

 in the presence of a glenoid foramen and in the position of the 

 condylar foramen. In Stenoplesictis, of the same deposits, the dental 

 formula \s i %, c \,p ^,m %; and although the skull has a complete 

 septum in the bulla, yet some of the cranial and dental features ap- 

 proximate so decidedly towards those of the extinct Mustelidce, as to 

 lead some authorities to refer the genus to that family. The most 

 probable explanation of this resemblance is that the Musteloids 

 have originated from generalised Viverroids allied to Stenoplesictis. 

 The Lower Pliocene Ictitherium differs from all other Viverroids in 

 the presence of three distinct lobes to the upper carnassial, and 

 thereby connects the other members of the family so closely with 

 the Hycenidce that it is practically impossible to draw up a defini- 

 tion which will distinguish the two families. 



The Xorth American Eocene genera Miacis and Didymictis are 

 generally regarded as representing a separate family — Miacidce — 

 with affinities both to the Viverridce and Canidce. 



Family Proteleid.e. 



Skull with no alisphenoid canal; and the auditory bulla divided 

 into two distinct chambers. Dorsal vertebra? 15. Molars \. Pre- 

 molar and molar teeth very small and simple in character. 



Proteles. 1 — This genus contains but a single species, P. cristatus, 

 1 Geoffroy, Mem. du Museum, vol. xi. p. 354 (1824). 



