412 CLASSIFICATION OF VERTEBRATES. 



in the upper eocene, apparently as descendants of the miacidae or palaeonic- 

 tidae, and all known families persist at the present time. 



The CANID/E have typically / f , c }-, p , m \ or |, the upper sectorial 

 with two lobes, the lower with an inner weaker lobe in addition ; auditory 

 bulla large, inflated, and undivided ; feet digitigrade, the fore feet four- or five- 

 toed, the hind feet usually four-toed, claws not retractile. The majority of 

 the species belong to the genus Canis (including Lupus, Vulpes, etc.) of cos- 

 mopolitan range, including the dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals, etc. Other living 

 genera are Octocyon and Lycaon of South Africa. The fossil genera are numer- 

 ous in both continents,among them Temnocyon, Ainphicyon, and Oligobiinus. 



The URSID/E have plantigrade feet, short and stout body, sectorials 

 scarcely differentiated, some of the premolars lost at an early date, and the 

 auditory bulla flat. Ursus, containing the bears, with molars f , is largely 

 confined to the northern hemisphere. Melursus is Asiatic. The fossil gen- 

 era Dinocyon, Hyceiiarctus, and Arctoiherium form a line uniting the clogs 

 with the bears. 



The PROCYONID^E with plantigrade feet, molars f , tuberculate, and with 

 the tail usually ringed, are largely American ; but two species, the raccoon 

 (Procyon lot or} and the raccoon-fox (Bassaris astuta) enter the U.S. The 

 coati (Nasna] with long, flexible snout, and Ccrcoleptes occur in Central 

 and South America. The species of MUSTELID^: are more numerous ; they 

 have the molars i (]- in Mellivora). The otters (Ltttra} and the sea-otter 

 (Enhydris) have webbed feet. Mephitis, including the skunks, is American. 

 The badgers (Meles) belong to the old world, while the same common name 

 is given to the species of the American genus Taxidea. The minks, martens, 

 sables, ermines, weasels, and ferrets, belong to Mustela, many of the species 

 being valuable for their furs. The genus begins in the miocene of Europe. 

 Gitlo, the wolverine, occurs in the northern parts of both hemispheres. A 

 peculiarity of many of the mustelidce is the great development of anal glands 

 which secrete a strong-smelling fluid used as a weapon of defence. 



The VIVERRID/E, like the remaining fissipedes, have a swollen auditory 

 bulla and digitigrade or sub-plantigrade feet. They have p f or ^, /// -[ or |, 

 and usually five digits on all the feet. The species are all old-world. Cryp- 

 loprocta] Viverra, the civets; Herpestes, the mongoose. The family ap- 

 pears in the lower miocene. The HY^NID^:, also an old-world group, is 

 closely related to the viverridas by its fossil relatives. Hyceiia, Proteles. 



The FELID^E have retractile claws, stronly developed canines, molars 

 \ in recent species (never exceeding \ in fossils) ; the upper sectorial with a 

 three-lobed blade. Felts includes the majority of the living species, lions, 

 tigers, leopards, panthers, lynxes, pumas, jaguars, and the smaller cats. 

 Cyncelurus, the only other existing genus, contains the cheetah, or hunting 

 leopard, which ranges from India to Southern Africa. The family appears 

 in the upper eocene of America, while species are found in the miocene of 

 both continents. Among the extinct genera are Dinictis, Htplophoiifiis, and 

 Macharodiis, the latter characterized by the enormous canines, these being, 

 in one species, seven inches in length. 



