30 MR. W. H. FLOWER ON THE [ Jan. 14, 
family. The posterior chamber of the bulla is much inflated, espe- 
cially the anterior part, which overlaps the very small tympanic por- 
tion. The meatus externus (am) is very contracted. The carotid 
canal (car) is a deep groove near the middle of the inner wall of the 
bulla. The paroccipital (p) is closely applied to the bulla. The 
alisphenoid canal (a) is distinct. There is not the slightest ap- 
proximation in any particular to the arctoid type. I feel, therefore, 
no hesitation in placing the Binturong among the Viverride, even 
without waiting for the confirmation which the examination of the 
structure of the organs of generation will doubtless afford. 
Fig. 15. 
Binturong (Arctictis binturong). 
(The letters as in the preceding figures.) 
A comparison of Arctictis with Cercoleptes supplies a good illus- | 
tration of superficial and adaptive resemblance masking absence of 
real aftinity—closer, that is to say, than ordinal affinity. They belong 
to two different types of the Carnivora, both modified in the same 
direction. One is an arboreal, prehensile-tailed, omnivorous, Viver- 
rine #luroid, the other an arboreal, prehensile-tailed, omnivorous, 
Procyonine Arctoid. Geographically, each is confined to near the 
headquarters of the family to which it belongs; and_in a functional 
sense only can they be regarded as representatives of each other in 
these different regions of the globe. 
If the study of the cranial characters of the Binturong has com- 
pletely removed it from all suspicion of relationship with the Bears, 
