SKELETON OF CAKNIVORA. 



505 



are inserted. The antorbital foramina are small semilunar slits. 

 The nasal processes of the maxillaries extend further back than 

 the nasals. 



The specific character of the Lion (Fells Leo), as compared 

 with the Tiger (Felis Tigris), is shown by the obtusely-pointed 

 termination of the nasal process of the maxillary, and its ex- 

 tension backward to the same transverse line as that which the 

 hinder ends of the nasals reach. In the Tiger the nasal bones are 

 relatively longer and extend further back than the nasal processes 

 of the maxillaries, which are, as it were, truncated. The concavity 

 of the frontal platform between the deflected postorbital processes 

 is narrower than in the Lion ; the suborbital foramina are smaller. 



The carnivorous character of the skull, fig. 341, as exemplified 

 by the sagittal, 7, and occipital, s, crests, by the strength and 

 expanse of the zygomatic arches, 27, by the depth and shortness 

 of the jaws, by the height and breadth of the coronoid processes, 

 and by the extent of the muscular fossoe of the lower jaw, reaches 

 its maximum in the skull of the old males of both these laro^e 

 Felines. The triangular occipital region is remarkable for the 

 depth and boldness of the sculpturing of its outer surface. 

 The conjoined par occipital, 4, and mastoid, 8, form a broad and 



34] 



Skull of Lion. 



thick capsular support for the back part of the acoustic bulla. 

 The pterygoid processes are imperforate. A well-marked groove 

 extends on each side of the bony palate from the posterior to the 

 anterior palatine foramina. The premaxillaries, 22, are compa- 

 ratively short, and one half of the lateral border of the nasals, 15, 

 directly articulates with the maxillaries, 21. 



The bony tentorium extends above the petrosal to the ridge 

 over-hanging the Gasserian fossa : the petrosal is sliort, its apex is 

 neither notched nor perforated : the cerebellar pit is very shallow. 



