114 MUSTELID^E. 



evidence against its identity with the Zorille (Zorilla 

 capensis), and in favour of its specific relations to the com- 

 mon Pole-cat {Putorius vulgaris). The fossil slightly ex- 

 ceeds in size the recent skulls of this species, and the canine 

 teeth of the fossil are relatively larger, but the correspon- 

 dence in every proportion and in the relative position of 

 each process, foramen, and suture, is so close, that the above 

 specified differences must be referred to the characteristics of 

 a large and vigorous male animal. The last tooth the 

 tubercular or first true molar, m, fig. 39 of both upper 

 and lower jaws is, indeed, rather smaller in the fossil than 

 in the recent skulls : but I find in these that it varies in 

 size more than the other molar teeth do. The specimen 

 figured in M. de BlainvmVs " Osteographie, Mustela," PI. 

 xiii., exhibits the variety in which the tubercular grinders 

 are large. 



The differences observable in the dentition of the fossil 

 Putorius of the Caves, and in that of the Cape Zorille, are 

 much more decisive. The canines are considerably smaller 

 in the Zorille : the sectorial, or penultimate teeth the last of 

 the premolars are smaller, and that of the lower jaw has a 

 broader crown in the Zorille : the first two small premolars 

 of the upper jaw are further apart, and the corresponding 

 teeth of the lower jaw have the hinder margin of the com- 

 pressed crown notched, forming two hinder tubercles instead 

 of one as in the Putorius vulgaris and in the fossil under 

 consideration. 



An almost entire skull of a Pole-cat, in the usual condi- 

 tion of fossil remains of extinct quadrupeds, has been found 

 in one of the raised beaches near Plymouth. 



The fossil remains of Putorius alluded to by M. de 

 Blainville, as cited by M. Keferstein from the " Reliquise 

 Diluviance," belong exclusively to the smaller species, the 

 subject of the next section. 



