482 CARNIVORES. 



in the numerical characters of their dentition, to the more typical 

 Carnivora. 



The alternate interlocking of the crowns of the teeth of the 

 upper and lower jaws, which is their general relative position in 

 the Carnivora, is well marked in regard to the premolars of the 

 ViverridcB (fig. 4) : as the lower canine is in front of the upper, 

 so the first lower premolar rises into the space between the 

 upper canine and first upper premolar ; the fourth lower premolar 

 in like manner fills the space between the third upper premolar 

 and the sectorial tooth {p 4), playing upon the anterior lobe of the 

 blade of that tooth which indicates by its position, as by its mode 

 of succession that it is the fourth premolar of the upper jaw. The 

 first true molar below, modified as usual in the Carnivora to form 

 the lower sectorial, sends the three tubercles of its anterior part 

 to fill the space between the sectorial and the first true molar 

 above. In the Musangs the lower sectorial is in more direct op- 

 position to its true analogue, the first tubercular molar in the 

 upper jaw ; and these Indian Viverrides {Paradoxuri) are the least 

 carnivorous of their family, their chief food consisting of the fruit 

 of palm-trees, whence they have been called ' Palm-cats.' 



181. Hymna. — The dentition of this genus presents a nearer ap- 

 proach to the strictly carnivorous type by the reduction of the tu- 

 bercular molars to a single minute tooth on each side of the upper 

 jaw, the inferior molars being all conical or sectorial teeth : the 

 molar teeth in both jaws are larger and stronger, and the canines 

 smaller in proportion than in the Feline species, from the formula 

 of which the dentition of the Hyaena differs numerically only in 

 the retention of an additional premolar tooth on each side of 

 both jaws. The dental formula of the genus Hycena (PI. 126, 

 fig. 6) is: — 



3—3 1—1 4-4 1—1 „ . 



m. — : c. — : pm. — : m. — : = o4. 



3_3 ' l_l > -r 3_3 ' i_i 



The crowns of the incisors form almost a straight transverse line 

 in both jaws ; the exterior ones, above, being much larger than 

 the four middle ones, and extending their long and thick inserted base 

 further back : the crown of the upper and outer incisor is strong, 



