44 



BULLETIISr 171, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



skull in this region. The cranial portion is conspicuously shortened 

 anteroposteriorly and is convex dorsaily in a longitudinal profile 

 somewhat as in the Florida S. ambarvalis. Some of the modern 

 western skunks, as S. gracilis and S. phenax, have relatively flat dorsal 

 profiles and are also more elongate than the cave specimen. Further- 

 more, the longitudinal profile of rostrum is slightly concave anterior 

 to the frontals, as noted in several specimens of S. putorius. 



The dental formula of Brachyprotoma is as in Conepatus, and the 

 characters of the upper teeth of the Cumberland Cave specimen corre- 

 spond rather closely with those of B. pristina. M* has a broader heel 

 than in the type, but the difference may not be greater than can be 

 attributed to individual variation or possibly to difference of sex. 



FiauKE 72,.— Brachyprotoma pristina Brown: 

 Left ramus of male mandible (U.S.N.M. no. 

 12045), lateral and occlusal views. X IH- 

 Cumberland Cave Pleistocene, Maryland. 



Figure 24. — Brachyprotoma pristina Brown: 

 Right ramus of female or young male mandi- 

 ble (U.S.N.M. no. 8214), lateral view. X IH. 

 Cumberland Cave Pleistocene, Maryland. 



A comparison with Spilogale shows P^ in our specimen to be similar 

 to that in the living species but with protocone relatively smaller 

 and the anterior margin of the paracone slightly more backward slop- 

 ing. M^ is relatively short anteroposteriorly and wide transversely, 

 and the median constriction is not nearly so pronounced as in Spilogale. 

 The external cinguhmi of this tooth is very well developed and termi- 

 nates anteriorly in a prominent cusp external to the paracone. 



Of the four jaws referred to Brachyprotoma pristina, one (fig. 23), 

 U.S.N.M. no. 12045, is evidently of an adult male and corresponds 

 very closely to the lower jaws Brown recognized as belonging to B. 

 pristina. Jaw no. 12046 is apparently of an adult female and corre- 

 sponds favorably with the type of B. spelaea. The remammg two 

 jaws (fig. 24) seem to represent relatively young males. The adult 

 male specimen, U.S.N.M. no. 12045, is characterized by a moderately 

 robust mandible with a rather deep, abrupt symphysis, and a well- 

 developed masseteric fossa as compared to Spilogale. The premolars 

 are crowded, overlapping, and the lower carnassial is narrow and short 

 heeled and exhibits a weak metaconid, differmg markedly in these 

 respects from living forms. The female specimen, no. 12046, differs 

 from the male in having a weaker mandible, particularly shallow be- 

 neath the posterior portion of Mi, a shallower symphysis, and a more 

 gently sloping ascending ramus. 



