554 



CARNIVORA 



and tail, distinguished from all other Dogs by the reduction of the 

 molar teeth to -J-, and their comparatively small size. The lower 

 carnassial is also characterised by the loss of the inner cusp of the 

 blade, and the secant form of its hind talon ; both these features 

 indicating a specialised type. Remains of the Bush-Dog are found 

 in the Pleistocene cavern-deposits of Brazil, and were originally 

 described under the name of Speothos. 



t» "< nr > total 46 or 48 - 



The molar teeth are thus in excess of any other living heterodont 



Otocyon. 1 — Dentition: i -§ , c \, p -f-, m 



Pig. '253. — The Cape Hunting Dog (Lycaon pictus). 



mammal. They have the same general characters as in Cants, 

 with very pointed cusps. The lower carnassial shows little of its 

 typical characters, having five cusps on the surface ; these can, 

 however, be identified as the inner cusp, the two greatly reduced 

 and obliquely placed lobes of the blade, and two cusps on the talon. 

 The skull generally resembles that of the smaller Foxes, particu- 

 larly the Fennecs. The auditory bulla? are very large. The hinder 

 edge of the mandible has a very peculiar form, owing to the 

 great development of an expanded, compressed, and somewhat 

 inverted subangular process. Vertebra? : C 7, D 13, L 7, S 3, C 22. 

 Ears very large. Limbs rather long. Toes 5-4. One species, 

 0. megalotis, from South Africa, rather smaller than a common Fox. 

 Professor Huxley looks upon this as the least differentiated or 

 most primitive existing form of the family, regarding the presence 



1 Liechtenstein, Wiegmanris Archiv. 1838, vol. i. p. 290. 



