NIMEAVID^. 971 



trochanteric fossa descends lower down. The fossa ligamenti teris communi- 

 cates with the neck by a groove, a character not seen in any of the five 

 recent species at my disposal. The external linea asper forms a prominent 

 ridge on the proximal half of the shaft, while the internal linea asper is short 

 and only prominent proximally. Distally, the external rotular crest extends 

 farther posteriorly than the internal. The rotular surface is a little narrower 

 than in TJncice leo, concolor, or pardus, and while as naiTow as in Felis domes- 

 tica and Cyncelurus juhatus, is prolonged farther posteriorly. The lower 

 portion of the shaft is oval in section. The intercondylar fossa is divided 

 into three areas, viz, an anterior and posterior subtriangular separated by 

 a deep oblique fossa. The former are the points of insertion of the intei'nal 

 and external crucial ligaments. The fossa between them is characteris- 

 tically much deeper than in any of the recent feline animals above men- 

 tioned. 



Measurements of femur. 



M. 

 Total length 260 



/ at proximal extremity 052 



Transverse width < at distal extremity 046 



( at middle of shaft 023 



{of head 024 

 of great trochanter 027 

 of shaft 018 

 of condyles 045 



Width of rotular face at middle 020 



Mestoration.— The Nimravus gomphodus is as large as the full-grown 

 panther of the large varieties. It probably stood as high above the ground, 

 but whether the body had the elongate proportions of that animal, or the 

 more robust form of the leopard and jaguar cannot be ascertained in 

 the absence of necessary material. Unless the animal had pendulous 

 upper lips, a thing unknown among cats, the superior canine teeth must 

 have been distinctly displayed on each side of the chin, their points de- 

 scending entirely below the lower margin of the lower jaw when the mouth 

 is closed. As these points are less compressed than in the true saber-tooths, 

 they were less liable to fracture from lateral blows, but were more apt to be 

 broken by fore-and-aft strains, owing to their slenderness. 



The long canines of this species testify to bloodthirsty habits, for as 

 weapons for penetrating wounds they are withovit rival among carnivorous 



