FOSSIL DOG, CAT, AND WEASEL. 243 



Laugier, contains an intermixture of animal matter with 

 phosphate of lime, and probably also phosphate of iron. 



Canis. Dag. 



Of this genus several species are described as occurring 

 in the caves already mentioned ; one species very closer 

 ly resembles the Cape hycsna, and is about the size of a 

 small brown bear ; another species is allied to the dog or 

 wolf; and a third species is almost identical with the com- 

 mon fox.* A fossil species also resembling the common 

 fox has been found in the gypsum quarries near Paris ; 

 and in the same formation there are fossil remains of a ge- 

 nus intermediate between canis and viverra. In the allu- 

 vial deposites there are remains of the hycena. 



Felis. Cat. 



One species of this tribe occurs in the limestone caves, 

 and appears to be nearly allied to the iaguar ; another 

 species, nearly allied to the tiger, is found in alluvial soil 

 along with fossil remains of the elephant, rhinoceros, 

 hyaena, and mastodon. 



Viverra. Weasel. 



Two species of this genus occur in the limestone caves ; 

 the one is allied to the common pole cat, a,nd the other to 

 the zorille, a pole cat belonging to the Cape of Good 

 Hope. Another species allied to the ichneumon, but 

 double its size, occurs in the gypsum quarries around 

 Paris. 



* Blumenbach has lately described the remains of a fossil hyaena, 

 nearly resembling the canis crocuta, which was found in marl along 

 with remains of the lion and the elephant, between Osterode and 

 Herzberg in Hanover, 



