CANID^. 899 



The cranium is elongate, and the muzzle is not shortened, but is rather 

 compressed. There are no true postorbital processes, but merely obtuse 

 angles, from which obsolete temporal ridges converge backwards. They 

 do not unite early, as in the Galecynus geismariamts, Amphicyon vetus, &c., but 

 only combine to form a low sagittal keel near the middle of the parietal 

 bone. The brain-case is rather large, and is moderately contracted beliind 

 the orbits, more than in Vuljjes cinereoargentatus or Canis latrans and C. can- 

 crivorus. The occipital surface is strongly convex to fit the vermis of the 

 cerebellum. The otic bulla is small and has no t^mipanic prolongation. 

 This character will distinguish the species from the G. geismarianus, where 

 the bullae are very large. The paroccipital process is short and obtuse, and 

 is well removed from the bulla, not being even connected with it by a ridge, 

 as in recent dogs. The posttympanic process is short and obtuse. The 

 postglenoids are well separated from them, and have a greater transverse 

 extent than in i-ecent dogs. They are not overlapped posteriorly by any 

 part of the otic bullse. The basioccipital is wide and is marked by a shal- 

 low fossa on each side opposite each paroccipital process. This is wanting 

 in the G. geismarianus and the G. gregarius. Between the bulliB the surface 

 is not keeled, but is flat and slightly concave. 



The mandibular rami are shallow, and their inferior margin is not stout. 

 A o^entle elevation of the latter commences below the first tubercular tooth, 

 and the alveolar border rises but little behind. The masseteric fossa is deep 

 and well defined. 



Sutures. — The ascending branch of the premaxillary is very narrow and 

 elongate, but fails by a little to reach the narrow acute anterior prolonga- 

 tion of the frontal. The nasal bones are quite narrow, and their apices are 

 above the anterior third of the orbit. The fronto-maxillary suture is strongly 

 arched upwards. The parietal bones extend further forwards laterally than 

 on the superior surface of the skull, where their anterior outline is broadly 

 truncate. Below they are extensively in contact with the alisphenoid bone. 

 The squamosal is low and elongate. 



Foramina. — The nares are rather small, and the vertical exceeds the 

 transverse diameter. The opening of the infraorbital foramen is above the 

 anterior part of the superior sectorial tooth. There is no postparietal 



