SJculls of the Felidffi and Viverridoe. 269 



fenestras and on the inner side abuttino- against the basioccipital ; 

 ./)>., foramen lacerum posticum with the condyloid foramen just 

 behind it ; pocc, paroccipital ; tb., tympanic bulla, the position 

 of the partition shown by a dotted line. 



Fig. 2. Base of cranium of Cri/p}o2)rocta ferox with the two bullfe in 

 place. Lettering and arrows as in fig. 1 ; fm., the foramen 

 lacerum niedi'im piercing the sphenoid as a round hole entirely 

 separated from the periotic. 



Fig. 3. Base of cranium of Mangos ichneumon with the antero-internal 

 portion of the bulla of the left side cut away to show the bony 

 carotid canal (cc.) running alongside the basioccipital and 

 terminating in front a little behind the part of the foramen 

 lacerum medium (/m.) which is separated from the periotic 

 (per.), the rest of it being represented by the smaller, more 

 external orifice behind; co., the posterior orifice of the carotid 

 canal. Other lettering and arrows as in figs. 1 and 2. 



Fig. 4. Base of cranium of Nandinia binotata with the cartilaginous 

 portion of the bullfe missing from both sides and the osseous 

 anterior portion, niariied tb. on the left side, removed from the 

 right. The stylomastoid foramen [st.) is remote from the 

 margin of the prominent mastoid (to.) and the fenestra rotunda 

 on the periotic (;:»er.) is on its inner side ; the foramen lacerum 

 medium (fm.) is a small orifice in the basisphenoid lying deeply 

 beneath the tympanic {tb.) and touching the periotic by a very 

 narrow cleft. Other lettering as in preceding figures. 



Plate XI. 



Fig. 1. Left auditory bulla of Civettictis civetta, and seen obliquely from 

 the imderside to show the course of the carotid cunal (ra;-.), 

 represented by a dotted groove. The canal comes to an end at 

 the edge of the inturned portion of the tympanic bulla ; ea., ex- 

 ternal auditory meatus formed by tympanic ring. 



Fig. 2. Left auditory bulla of Arctictis binturong from the same aspect. 

 The carotid groove is almost converted into a bony tube in- 

 feriorly ; eu., eustachian tube. The large groove behind the 

 carotid groove leads to the foramen lacerum posticum. 



Fig. 3. Anterior portion of the left bulla of Pagimia larvata, to sliow the 

 carotid groove passing anteriorly into a bony tube, the arrow 

 indicating a bristle traversing the canal. 



Fig. 4. The same in Genetta felina. 



Fig. 5. flight bulla of Felis uncia from the same aspect as represented in 

 the foregoing figures. The arrow indicates a bristle passed 

 through the carotid canal [car.), part of which is a complete 

 bony tube. In all Felidae the canal apparently takes the same 

 course, which is practically the same as that of Civettictis and 

 Arctictis, but the canal is almost always an open groove, and 

 not a bony tube. 



Fig. 6. Right bulla of Viverricula malaccensis, with arrow indicatino- the 

 course of the carotid artery anteriorly beneath the triangular 

 flange of bone, which is not united beneath the artery to the 

 adjacent bone of the tympanic ring to form a tube such as is 

 seen in Genetta. 



Fig. 7. Left half of base of skull of Diplogale hosei, .'showing the very 

 short carotid canal beginning at car. ; fm. and fp., foramen 

 lacerum medium and posticum ; st., stylomastoid foramen ; 

 tb., tympanic bulla, with the line showing the separation 

 between the two portions. 



