AGRIODUS. 259 



on one or the other sides of the jaws ; but the ani- 

 mal forming the type of the present sub-genus, 

 although in external appearance resembling a fox, 

 and, in the great development of the ears, assimi- 

 lating with the Megalotes, differs from both, and 

 from all the known Canidce, by having in the 

 upper jaw seven molars, and in the lower eight ; of 

 these three are false molars, and four have the 

 crown formed into real grinders; below, the false 

 molars are four, then follows a small imperfect car- 

 nassier, and behind it three tubercular teeth ; the 

 canines are slender, and, along with the incisors, 

 inclined forward. The skull has a long plane pro- 

 file, is nearly destitute of an interparietal ridge? 

 but marked with two broad temporal ridges, one 

 on each side, extending from the post orbital pro- 

 cess to the occiput, and run almost parallel to 

 each other ; one may be seen in the profile of the 

 skull, above represented. The toes are in number, 

 form, and position, as in foxes. The anomalous 

 character of the teeth indicates the food of the 

 Agriodus to differ considerably from that of other 

 Canidce, and no doubt the manners of the species 

 are equally influenced by this conformation. These 

 considerations induced us to prefer the name here 

 assigned to the sub-genus to that of Megalotis, 

 which Illiger originally bestowed upon the Fennecs, 

 and which, in truth, expresses their preeminent 

 distinction. The sub-genus Agriodus appears t 

 be essentially Austral, or proper to the southern 

 hemisphere, and at present it contains but one 

 species, 



