REVISION OF THE PUMAS 589 



between maxillae posteriorly 15-17. In the two oldest females the 

 length of nasals is 44 and 41 mm. The breadth across the postorbital 

 processes in the two males is 84 and 81 — the difference apparently due 

 to age. In the females it varies from 67 to 75 mm., and the skull 

 in which it is only 67 is young and the frontals have not attained the 

 full adult form. In the others it varies from 70 to 75. 



The postorbital constriction in 6 of the 8 females falls between 40 

 and 43 mm. In the other two skulls, both of which are very old, this 

 part of the skull is broader, measuring 44.5 in one and 45.5 in the 

 other. In many Carnivores (and other mammals as well) the breadth 

 of the postorbital constriction decreases with age. In the Pumas it 

 appears to increase with age. I am not perfectly sure however that 

 the increased breadth in the two old skulls may not be due to the pres- 

 ence of parasites in the frontal sinuses, as is often the case in the 

 Mustelidas. 



The bullae are surprisingly constant in size and form throughout the 

 series except in one skull, in which they are greatly inflated. This 

 is the skull of a very old female and is the same in which the postor- 

 bital inflation is greatest, hence there seems to be ground for the sus- 

 picion that in both cases the increased 'size may be the result of dis- 

 ease. In this skull the breadth of the basioccipital is materially 

 decreased by the great size of the bullae, measuring 4 mm. less than 

 in a skull of approximately equal age with normal bullze. 



A curious feature connected with these skulls is the tendency to 

 cleft palate. One of the males and two of the females have each a 

 large perforation in the middle of the roof of the mouth. This 

 perforation or vacuity extends completely through the palatine bones 

 on the median line, measures 13 mm. in length in two and 10 in 

 the third, and is bifurcate anteriorly, the anterior ends notching the 

 posterior margin of the palatal floor of the maxillary bones on each 

 side of the vomer. Three other females have a complete perforation 

 a little behind the maxillo-palatine suture, but of considerably smaller 

 size. Hence six out of the twelve specimens have the palate com- 

 pletely perforated, and in four of these the perforation is of consider- 

 able size and bifurcate anteriorly. 



The teeth. — Individual variation in the teeth in the 3 male skulls of 

 the series is small (only i mm. in each direction from the mean) and 

 mainly attributable to the usual wear with age. In the female it is 

 somewhat greater, the extremes in length of crown of upper carnas- 

 sial falling 1.4 mm. below the mean, and reaching 0.9 mm. above the 

 mean. Part of this also may be attributed to wear. 



