Cranial Variations tn the Scotch Wild Cat. pay ie 
eight of F. pardalis,—there is no trace of supplementary 
premolars either above or below. 
From the data available to me it seems, therefore, that the 
development of accessory anterior premolars is a much 
commoner feature in F, sylvestris than in any other species 
of Felidz; and, considering the closeness of the relationship 
between that species and domestic cats, 1 am disposed to 
attribute the occurrence of accessory anterior premolars in 
domestic cats to their kinship with /. sylvestris, and to 
dissociate it altogether from any alleged effects of domesti- 
cation. Furthermore, it appears to me that the comparative 
frequency of the presence of these supernumerary teeth—at all 
events, in the mandible in J. sylvestris—justifies the view that 
the character is not accidental, but is of atavistic significance. 
In the skull of /. sylvestris above referred to as possessing 
two premolars in the posteanine space of the left maxilla the 
two teeth are set close together in distinct alveoli, are one- 
rooted and simple-crowned. The posterior of the two, which 
is much too large to be regarded as the corresponding tooth 
of the milk-series, is the counterpart of the single little pre- 
molar of the right side, and seems clearly to be pm? of the 
permanent set. The tooth in front of it is both longer and 
thicker and has a more conical crown. Until evidence to 
the contrary is forthcoming, this tooth may be regarded as 
pm’ (text-fig. A, pm’). 
In the example of F. wied? (macrura) with two small 
premolars also on the left side in the postcanine space of the 
maxilla the sizes of the teeth are reversed, the anterior of the 
two being smaller than the posterior. But here, again, the 
posterior is the counterpart in size and shape of the little 
anterior premolar of the opposite side, and appears certainly 
to be pm? of the permanent set. But the anterior of the two, 
although the smaller, is too large to be interpreted as the 
retained milk-predecessor of the tooth behind it. 
In the four skulls of . sylvestris with the small anterior 
premolar in the mandible these extra teeth are in size and 
shape very similar to the small upper premolars ( pm?) of the 
maxilla. It is especially to be noted that they are placed 
with absolute symmetry in all four skulls *, in front of and 
close to but a little on the inner side of the succeeding tooth. 
Their distance from the latter varies slightly individually, 
but not more so than pm? of the maxilla varies in position in 
individual skulls. Provisionally, at all events, I think these 
* In the skull with this tooth missing on one side, the original position 
of the tooth is marked by the scar of its closed alveolus. 
