SkuUs of I he Felicia? and Yiveviidse. 263 



In examples of Genetta pardina and felina, on the con- 

 trary, the posterior orifice of the canal Hes much further in 

 advance of the foramen lacerum posticum — that is to say, 

 about one-fourth of the distance from the anterior end of 

 the posterior chamber of the bulla. It is formed by two 

 juxtaposed grooves, one on the bulla, the other on the peri- 

 otic, a narrow strip of which reaches the surface at this point 

 between the basioccipital and the bulla ; but the deeper, 

 anterior half of the groove is a complete bony tube formed 

 by tfie bulla alone. The anterior end of this tube opens 

 just above the foramen lacerum medium, which deeply notches 

 the sphenoid and is almost concealed from view superticially. 



In an adult skull of Paguma larvata the canal begins as a 

 groove on the anterior half of the inner side of the bulla, 

 and becomes a definite tube quite at the anterior end of the 

 posterior chamber of the bulla up against the basioccipital ; 

 and as in Genetta felina the concealed anterior part of the 

 canal is a short but completely bony tube formed by the bulla 

 alone. The foramen lacerum medium, notching the basi- 

 sphenoid, is just visible at the anteo-internal angle of the 

 bulla. The two bones forming the bulla are not fused 

 together. 



In an adult skull of Paradoxurusniyer the canal resembles 

 that of Paguma larvata, except that the concealed anterior 

 portion is not a complete bony tube in the tympanic. Here 

 also the two bones of the bulla are not co-ossified. 



In an example of Arctictis binturong the posterior orifice 

 of the canal is about halfway along the wall of the bulla, and 

 therefore much closer to the foramen lacerum posticum than 

 to the foramen lacerum medium. The canal is a deep groove 

 on the tympanic. It descends nearly vertically at first, 

 "where it passes alongside the basioccipital. The artery 

 thereafter turns forwards and completes its course on the 

 underside of the tympanic. In the specimen examined tlie 

 canal is nowhere a complete tube, although just above the 

 point where it ceases the bones of the tympanic almost meet 

 and close it in. Since this specimen is immature, as shown 

 by the persistence of the occipito-sphenoidal fissure, although 

 the permanent dentition is just in place, it is possible that 

 in the adult the tube is closed at the place above indicated. 

 The foramen lacerum medium deeply notches the sphenoid, 

 the anterior part of the notch being almost cut off from the 

 posterior by bony growths. 



In a skull of Hose's palm-civet (Diplogale hosei) the 

 carotid canal is set close to the foramen lacerum medium, and 

 is a very short and simple passage lying between adjacent 



