1G4 DK. E. EAY LAXKESTER ON TJIE 



viz. Ursidse, Procyonidse, and Mastelidse, placed ^Elurojnis in the Ursidte and ^lurus 

 in the Procyonidre. 



]\Iy observations oa the cast of the skull which was in my charge at Oxford led me to 

 the conclusion that too much weight had been assigned by Flower and Lydekker to the 

 presence in ^luropns of the thii-d lower molar, which is lost in jElurus and T?rocyon 

 whilst retained in the Bears. The form of the teeth, especially of the upper fourth pre- 

 molar (so-called " caruassial ") and of the true molars, resemble 1 that of the same teeth 

 in ^lurus and Frori/on rather than that of the same teeth in ZTrtms. The teeth in ques- 

 tion are unlike those of any other living Carnivore, recalling those of some of the extinct 

 Ungulata in breadth, squareness, and tubereulation. The general form of my cast of the 

 skull oW'Elnropus differed greatly from that of any Bear. In all Bears the skull is much 

 longer and narrower both in its facial and cranial regions than is the skull of JEluropus. 

 Similarly the lower jaw differed greatly ia shape from that of the Bears. On the other 

 hand, the relative shortness and breadth of the skull of ^^Eluropm are closely repeated in 

 jFJurus; whilst the shape of the loAver jaw in the two forms I found to be singularly 

 coincident, not only as to outline and cui'vature of the jaw and coronoid process, but 

 especially in regard to the form of the condyles. 



When I entered upon my duties at the Natural History Museum in London, in 1898, 

 1 looked up the material relating to yEluropus in the Collection, and was much pleased to 

 find that, in addition to a fine skull and moiuited skin, the Museum possessed certain 

 of the limb-bones and incomplete feet of JEluropus, obtained in 1896. 



On comparing these bones — viz., Humerus, Radius and Ulna, Carpus and Metacarpus, 

 Temur, Tibia, Fibula, Tarsus and Metatarsals — with those of TJrstis, yElurus, and Procyon, 

 I found that my previous impression was abundnntly confirmed, and that in very impor- 

 tant and distinctive points jEluropus agrees with .EUirm and Procyou (more closely 

 with the former) and differs widely from Ursus. 



I found a strongly marked entepicondylca- i-idf/e and foramen in the humerus of 

 jpluropus (PI. 20. figs. 1, 1 a). This does not exist in the Ursidse, but occurs in ^Elurus 

 and Procyon (PL 20. figs. 2, 2 a, 3). 



Even more remarkable than this were the enormous accessory or extra-carpal bones 

 of the carpus. The iilnar or postaxial extra-carpal (the pisiform of man) is of very 

 laro-e size — larger than in any Arctoid — and springs obliquely backwards and outwards 

 CPl. 20. fig. ^,pi.). But the really extraordinary bone is the preaxial extra-carpal or 

 " prsepoUex " of some w riters, which is articulated to the scapho-lunar and to the preaxial 

 metacarpal, and has the size and position of a sixth metacarpal bone (PI. 20. fig. 8, r.s.). 



form, connecting the true Bears with ^Slants and with several extinct genera. Dentition i. jj, c. \, p. ^-, m. f ; total 

 40. Premolars increasing in size from first to last, and two-rooted except the first. First upper molar with quadrate 

 crown, broader than long. .Second larger than the first. Cranium with zygomatic arches and sagittal crest immensel)- 

 developed, and ascending ramus of mandible very high, giving greater spaces for attachments of temporal muscle than 



in any other existing member of the order. Bony palate not extending behind the last molar tooth Feet 



bear-like, but soles more hairy, and perhaps less completely plantigrade. Fur long and thick. Tail very short. One 



extremely rare species, A<^. mehi noltucus It is of the size of u small brown bear, of a white colour, with ears, 



spots round the eyes, and limbs black."' 



