CANID^. 929 



side of the nasals, which does not meet the ascending process of the pre- 

 maxillary. It also descends along the extei'nal border of the orbit to the 

 lachrymal. The latter presents a very narrow surface external to the orbit, 

 and supports a narrow tuberosity on the prominent border of the latter. 

 The malar ascends to near this tuberosity in a narrow process, which is 

 more acuminate in form than in Canis latrans or Vulpes fidvus and V. cinereo- 

 argentatus. The lachrymal bone is much larger than in an}' of the above 

 species or the C. familiaris or C. cancrivorus, and is especially expanded at 

 its superior portion. The orbitosphenoid bone extends as far anteriorly as 

 in those species, but carries no diagonal ridge, as in the latter. The orbito- 

 nasal foramen is much more posterior than in them. The squamosal bone 

 is long and low. 



There is a slight concavity on the superior surface at the base of the 

 postorbital process of the frontal bone, as in the recent red fox. The 

 palatonareal border is a regular concavity. The otic bullae are large and 

 somewhat compressed. They are longer than deep, and as deep as wide. 



Restoration. — Although the skull and pelvis of this species have about 

 the size of those of the fisher, the ■'•ertebrse and humerus are more slender, 

 and the anterior foot is decidedly smaller. It is probable that the Galecynus 

 geismarianus resembled a large Herpe&tes in general proportions rather than 

 a Canis. It stood lower on the legs than a fox, and had as slender a body 

 as the most " vermiform " of the weasels, the elongation being most marked 

 in the region posterior to the thorax. The tail was evidently as long as in 

 the Ichneumons. Its carnivorous propensities were as well developed as in 

 any of the species mentioned, although, like all other Canidce of the lower 

 Miocene period, the carnassial teeth are relatively smaller than in the recent 

 types. 



History. — The specimen above described, which includes the greatest 

 number of bones, was obtained by my assistant, Mr. Jacob L. Wortman, 

 from the Haystack Valley, Central Oregon, from beds of the John Day 

 Miocene age. The skull last described was found by C. H. Sternberg in 

 the "cove" of the John Day Valley of Oregon. The species is named 

 in honor of Jacob Geismar, an accomplished and skillful naturalist of Phila- 

 delphia. 



59 c 



