XVI 



INTRODUCTION. 



The bones of the neck, or cervical vertebrae, are larger than in feline 

 beasts of the same size. Certain processes, known as hyper apopJiyses, 

 are strongly marked in them, while others, termed metapophyses *, may 

 be traced forwards from the lumbar region to the third cervical 

 vertebra. 



The most anterior (or atlas] vertebra has its large transverse pro- 

 cesses perforated towards its hinder margin by the vertebral artery. 



Fig. 3. 



The cervical vertebrae (except the atlas) and first three dorsal vertebrae of C. dinyo, 

 seen laterally, m, metapophyses ; h, hyperapophyses. 



The skull has its facial portion or snout much more elongated than 

 in the Cat family. The lateral arches of the skull, or zygomata, project 

 strongly outwards, and a transverse elevated ridge of bone, the larnb- 

 doidal ridge, crosses transversely the hinder part of the cranium. There 

 may or may not be an antero-posteriorly directed ridge, called a sagittal 

 ridge, projecting upwards from the middle of the cranium. It is well- 

 marked in the Wolf. In its place there may be a flattened tract of 

 bone, as in C. mrginianus. 



The bony orbits never form a complete ring, or arch, enclosing the 

 eyeball externally, but the postorbital process of the frontal bone always 



* For full details as to these structures, see the Proc. Zool. Soc. 1805, pp. 574 & 

 579, fig. 9. 



