OF THE MAMMALIAN OSSICULA AUD1TUS. 395 



the neck, as in the Felidae ; it is never straight and conical as in Hycena. The lamina 

 is broad, and bounded below by a well-marked splinter-like processus gracilis. The body 

 of the incus (PL LVIII. fig. 43) is shallow ; and the crura, which are both of nearly equal 

 length, are conspicuously far apart, even at their origin. The stapes resembles that of 

 the Cats. Hyrtl considers that the aperture between the crura is much smaller in the 

 Dogs ; but it is more correct to say that in the large Canidae the crura are more massive 

 than in the Lion or Leopard, and encroach more on that space, which, in small dogs, is 

 often as wide as in the domestic cat. The anterior crus is often curved. 



In large specimens of the Dog the outer surface of the manubrium is so expanded at 

 its borders that the rest of that process appears as a sharp ridge springing from the inner 

 side of that external aspect. In the Wolf the same surface of the manubrium is even 

 broader than in the malleus of a Newfoundland or a Mastiff (although I have prepared 

 a malleus from a small dog where it is nearly as broad) ; and the whole process is 

 extremely curved ; the extremity, however, is not much turned up, as in the straighter 

 manubria of many other mammals. The crura of the "Wolf's incus are extremely far 

 apart ; and the anterior crus of the stapes is always well curved, and thicker than the 

 posterior. In the Dog the crura are far more similar in straightness and bulk. (See 

 PL LVIII. figs. 33, 43, 57, & PL LIX. fig. 5.) 



The other species in this genus have ill-marked specific characters. In the European 

 Eox the neck of the malleus is shorter than in the Dog or "Wolf; the outer aspect of 

 the manubrium is nearly as broad as in Ganis lupus ; but in C. vulpes (PL LIX. fig. 6) it 

 is nearly of equal breadth throughout. The crura of the incus diverge as much as in 

 the Dog, and hence less than in the Wolf; the anterior crus of the stapes is slightly 

 curved, but not much thicker than the posterior. In a specimen of C. fulvus I found 

 the manubrium rather longer than in the Pox. The crura of the stapes were both 

 straight, and the opening between them very small. In the Arctic Pox ( C. lagopus) the 

 malleus has a much longer neck than in the two foxes above named, and a longer pro- 

 cessus muscularis than in any of the preceding Canidse ; the incus is wolf-like. In the 

 Cape Hunting Dog [Lycaon pictus, PL LVIII. fig. 41) the processus muscularis is stouter 

 and straighter, and proportionally larger than in any other of the Canidse ; it closely 

 resembles that of Proteles ; but the outer smface of the manubrium is quite canine, being 

 very wide, and almost of equal breadth throughout ; the incus is most like a dog's in aspect. 

 In the Long-eared 'Eox(Otocyon) the neck and manubrium mallei are both rather short ; 

 and the processus muscularis is as long as in Ganis (PL LIX. fig. 4). 



In Canis lupus and familiaris the lamina of the malleus is wider than in the Foxes, 

 Lycaon or Otocyon. 



The MusTELiD^; possess auditory ossicles which are not so remarkable for any single 

 distinctive feature or prominently developed process as for their very characteristic general 

 appearance. 



The malleus of the Glutton ( Gulo, PL LVIII. fig. 39) has a rather elongated head ; the 

 free globular portion, fairly developed, projects considerably upwards. The articular sur- 

 face is- always wide, contrary to other land-Carnivora ; but the facets are of the same pattern 

 as in Viverra. The neck is long, and only slightly curved, except in the Badger ; the manu- 



