CANTS LUPUS. 131 



In regard to the Dingo, M. de Blainville's observation is 

 accurate in respect of the configuration of the skull and 

 the relative capacity of the cerebral cavity : the skull of 

 this wild species of Canis is, however, always smaller than 

 that of the Wolf, in so far as the entire animal is less. 

 And it might be contended that the Dingo was a variety of 

 the Wolf rather than of the Dog. 



However this may be, the cranial characters of the 

 Wolf pointed out by Cuvier are good and available in its 

 determination when compared with those of a Dog of equal 

 size, and a cranium, therefore, was the most desirable fossil 

 for the resolution of the question of the nature of the anci- 

 ent species of Canis, associated in Great Britain with spe- 

 laean Bears and Hyaenas. 



The rich cavernous depositary of the Mammalian remains 

 of that epoch, called Kent's Hole, has afforded, thanks to 

 the persevering explorations of Mr. Mac Enery, the desired 

 evidence, viz., an almost entire skull with the teeth (fig. 45). 



This specimen exactly equals in size the skull of a fine 

 male Arctic Wolf, has the same flat and narrow triangular 

 frontal space, an equally deve- j^ 49 



loped occipito-sagittal crest, and 

 as large canines. The only 

 differences worth mentioning, 

 which a close comparison has 

 yielded, are, that the antepen- 

 ultimate or sectorial molar is 

 a little larger in the fossil, and 

 the lower border of the jaw 

 rather more convex. 



The latter character is not, Sectorial molar, nat. size. 



however, appreciable in the Oreston fossils, and the secto- 

 rial molar varies as much in size in different individuals of 



