334 Mr. R. I. Pocock oa the 



of F. ocreata Avitli certain peculiarities added. For instance, 

 the suhoil-ital portion of the ni.ilar aich is vci-y deep, with 

 its npper margin thin and the anteorbital thickening almost 

 obliterated ; the postorbital processes incline backwards, have 

 a sinnous curvature, and an upturned anterior edge ; the 

 bullie and auditory meatus are relatively enormous, and the 

 inner lube on the upper carnassial is greatly reduced (see 

 I'ocock, P. Z. S. 1907, pp. 669-074). 



Genus Lynx, Kerr. 



Lynx, Kerr, 1792, p. 41 ; type lynx, Linn. 



Lynceus, Gray, 1821, p. '-\(s-l (preocc.) ; type lynx. 



Lyncufi, Gray, 1825, p. 339 ; type lynx. 



Lynchun, Jardiue, 1834, p. 274 ; type lynx. 



Piirdina, Kaup, 1829, p. 63 ; type j'CiideUus, Miller. 



Cirvaria, Gray, 1867, p. 276 (preocc.) ; ts'\ie pardellus, Miller. 



Eiicervaria, Pahiier, ]903; \\])e jmrdeUus, Miller. 



Caracal, Gray, 1843, p 46 ; type carucal, Guld. ( = mel(nwtis, Gray). 



Urolynchus, Severtzow, 1858, p. 388 ; type caracal, Guld. 



Distr. Boreal and temperate latitudes of northern hemi- 

 s])heres as far south as the Mediterranean and Western 

 Himalayas and ]\Iexico (true lynxes) ; South-western Asia 

 and the whole of Africa (caracals). 



]\Iedinm-sized, short or comparatively short-tailed cats 

 with large triangular tufted ears, sliort, broad heads, circular 

 ocular pupils and large ])aws with w ell-developed claw-sheaths, 

 comparatively sliort, eniarginate webs. 



Miller's description of the skulls of European lynxes and 

 his detailed comparison between them and tl)e sktill of 

 /''. si/ves/ris make a re])etiti(m of the facts unneeess^ary. 

 He separates the genus Lynx from Febs, laying particular 

 stress upon the doubtful characters aflorded by the absence 

 in Lynx of the small upper premolars. That thetwogeneia 

 are closely related is ob\ious from Miller^s description, and 

 this conclusion is confirmed by the simihHrity in the size 

 and shape of tlie jiartition of the Inilhe. Tbe piineipal 

 cliaracters diffeientiating Lynx are su})j)!ied by the slender 

 and gradually attenuated nasal branch of the preuiaxillse, the 

 thinner, less dejiressed, and sharper postorbital proces^es, 

 the shallower notching of the suborbital e(\^e of the palate, 

 the jjroximitj'^ to the canine and more torward setting of the 

 first large upper premolar. 



