26 Mr.Waterhousc on the Crania and Dentition of Carnivora. 



is the Potamophihts of Muller and Limictis of De Blainville), Am- 

 bliodon, Hcmigaleus, Ilerpestes, Cynictis, Ryzarna, Crossarchus (the 

 three last being divisions or subgenera of Ilerpestes, in which there 

 is a complete bony orbit), Viverra, Genetta, Prionodon, and Cry- 

 ptoprocta. 



The Hyaena, Mr. Watcrhouse is inclined to regard as an aber- 

 rant form of the Viverridcc : in the general characters of the cra- 

 nium, and especially in the curved form of the lower jaw, it differs 

 considerably from the Cats (with which it has by some been asso- 

 ciated), and approaches the Viverras. If, however, it be placed with 

 the ViverridcB, it will form an exception, as regards its dentition, 

 having but one true molar on either side of the upper jaw. The 

 1 carnassiere' has a large inner lobe, and in this respect also resembles 

 the Viverras, and not the Cats. 



The species of the family Felidai may at once be distinguished by 

 the short rounded form of the skull, combined with the straightness 

 of the lower margin of the ramus of the lower jaw, and the reduced 

 number of the teeth, especially of the true molars, of which there 

 are none in the lower jaw, and but one in the upper, and that very 

 small. 



This family contains the genus Felis, species of which are found 

 in all quarters of the globe, Australia excepted. The Cats appear 

 to bear the same relation to the Mustelidce as the Dogs to the VI- 

 verridtB, 



The Mustelidce, like the Felidce, have the muzzle short and ob- 

 tuse; the skull, however, is more elongated. They may be distin- 

 guished by there being one true molar on either side of each jaw ; 

 that in the upper jaw is well-developed, and generally transverse; but 

 in some, such as the Badger, it is longer than broad : in the Otters, 

 Skunks, and American Badger ( Taxidia Labradorica), the true mo- 

 lar is intermediate in form between the common Badger (Meles vul- 

 garis) and the more typical Mustelidce. The false molars in the 



3 3 



Weasels (Mustela) are typically t— -^ but in some species they are 



reduced to f^. As in the Felidm, the angle of the lower jaw, in the 



greater portion of the Mustelidce, is on the same plane as the lower 

 edge of the horizontal ramus : in other Carnivora it is raised. In this 

 family there is a great tendency in the glenoid cavity of the temporal 

 bone to inclose the condyle of the lower jaw. The condyle is more 

 truly cylindrical, and longer than in other Carnivora. In the Dogs 

 there is no trace of the anterior descending process of the temporal 

 bone, which in the Mustelas confines the condyle of the lower jaw ; 



