Mr. Yarrell on the Osteology of the Fenncc, 401 



Art. XL. Observations on the Osteology of the Fennec, 

 By William Yarrell, Esq.^ F,L,S.^ Sfc, 



[In the account of the Fennec which lately appeared in the 

 Appendix to Colonel Denham's travels into the interior of Africa, 

 the zoological department of which had been drawn up by us 

 conjointly, we had to lament our being unable to ascertain the im- 

 mediate affinities of the species in consequence of the impossibility 

 of accurately examining the system of dentition in a set up spe- 

 cimen. We scarcely imagined at the time that we should so sooa 

 have had the opportunity, which has since occurred, of supplying 

 this deficiency. A fine specimen of the animal was lately pre- 

 sented* to the Zoological Society, immediately after death, by 

 which means a complete skeleton as well as a preserved skin was 

 set up. With the permission of the Society, we submitted the 

 skull for examination to Mr. Yarrell, than whom no one was more 

 capable of doing justice to the subject, and whose valuable col- 

 lection of skulls, more particularly rich in the genus Canis, gave 

 him the most ample means of comparison. We beg leave to lay 

 the result of his examination before our readers ; who, we have 

 reason to think, will agree with us that all doubts are now re- 

 moved as to the affinities of this little animal, and that it may 

 be restored to the genus Canis^ where it was originally placed by 

 Bruce. 



John Geo. CHiLDREXy 

 N. A. Vigors.] 



The teeth of the Fennec agree in every particular with the den- 

 tition characteristic of the genus Canis^ to which it appears to me 

 decidedly to belong ; the animal being young, the points are more 

 produced and sharper. The frontal sinus is somewhat less than 

 the general proportion observed in this family, and the top of the 

 head has no appearance of the central ridge for the insertion of 



* This rare animal was presented to tlie Society by Mr. Cross of Exeter 

 Change, together with many other valuable subjects. 

 Vol. III. 2 c 



