70 



BULLETIN OF THE 



The head of the radius is less transversely extended and more discoidal than 

 in recent dogs, apparently indicating the retention in some degree oi' the power 

 of supination. 



FELIS. 



? Felis maxima, sp. nov. 



This species is founded upon a well pri'served humerus from the Loup Fork 

 of Kansas. The chief peculiarity of the specimen is its great size, wliich very 



much exceeds that of any living 

 feline. In construction it closely 

 resembles the humerus of the 

 lion, with some minor differences. 

 The external tuberosity rises high 

 above the head, and is somewhat 

 less rugose; the deltoid ridge is 

 exceedingly broad and massive, 

 and descends far down upon the 

 shaft; the outer condyle for the 

 capitellum of the radius is less 

 decidedly convex; the internal 

 ejjicondyle is very prominent and 

 massive, and is surmounted by a 

 large epicondylar foramen. The 

 presence of this epicondylar fora- 

 men shows that the specimen be- 

 fore us cannot be referred to 

 Smilodon, for the humerus of iS. 

 necator figured by Cope (Ameri- 

 can Naturalist, Vol. XIV. p. 857) 

 has no such foramen. The su- 

 pinator ridge is somewhat liroken, 

 but it appears to have been pro- 

 portionately less robust than in 

 the lion. The following table 

 will exhibit the great size of this 

 specimen. The measurements of the humerus of Smilodon are taken from 

 Cope's figure. 



Measurements. 



Smilodon necator. Felis lea. F.? maxima. 

 m. m. m. 



Humerus length 384 .313 .429 



" width of distal end 087 .054 .072 



" antero-posterior diameter proximal end — .088 .118 



Figure 4. — Humerus of ? Felis maxima X ^ ; 

 internal and anterior views. 



