no. 8 SKULL OF BRIDGER CREODONT—GAZIN 13 
The ventral aperture of the stylomastoid foramen is destroyed on 
both sides but sufficient remains of the walls of the foramen to indi- 
cate that it may not have been completely closed medially. A small 
portion of the mastoid projects medially, in front of the stylomastoid 
foramen and beneath its continuation as the facial canal, almost to 
the petrosal posterolateral to the fenestra rotunda. Immeditely lateral 
to the stylomastoid foramen and confluent with it, as exposed in the 
broken section, is a larger cavity (or canal?) that may have contained 
the stylohyal. The facial canal is open anteriorly at least as far as a 
point just ahead of the fenestra ovalis. Here the facial nerve may 
have entered the petrosal, although slight damage obscures the rela- 
tionship. On the other hand, a large aperture on the dorsal surface 
of the petrosal, posteromedial to the promontorium, may have con- 
ducted the facial nerve, in which case it was uncovered ventrally 
through most of its course. The large aperture referred to is not 
otherwise accounted for. A prominent epitympanic recess is noted, ap- 
parently in the squamosal, opposite the fenestra ovalis and at the 
posterior extremity of the fissura Glaseri. 
Upper dentition—In a superficial way the teeth (pl. 3) of Patri- 
ofelis, as noted by Marsh, show an interesting resemblance to those 
of the hyena. Although the form of the palate is rather like that in 
Crocuta, the pattern of the upper teeth is perhaps less hyena-like 
than it is in the lower series. The carnassials in each, of course, are not 
homologous. The upper cheek tooth series in Patriofelis ferox was 
described by Matthew (1909), but the anterior part of the dentition 
was not known. The University of Utah specimen demonstrates that 
there are only two upper incisors and that M? may be present so that 
the formula for the genus may be written 
pee cs Panu, 
2-3? I 3 2 
with M? and M, as carnassials. 
The upper incisors are simple teeth with conical crowns exhibiting 
enamel distributed a little higher on the outer side, and a prominent 
lingual cingulum that is carried nearer the apex of the crown medi- 
ally. The median incisor is comparatively small with a transversely 
flattened root, whereas the lateral of the two is decidedly large and 
more caninelike in appearance. Its root is more nearly circular in 
cross section, but with the posterolateral surface somewhat flattened. 
The canine is very robust and heavy rooted, approximately oval in 
cross section—not flattened or saberlike. These teeth have been much 
blunted by wear. 
There is no Pt. P? is simple and two rooted with a very broad 
