1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ^LTJROIDEA. 199 



in both species, there is a transverse band of isolated follicles at the 

 bottom of the anal pouch. 



The penis is long and pendulous, and entirely devoid of any bone. 



There are fifteen dorsal vertebrae. 



The cranium of Hyana differs from every Viverrine cranium by its 

 enormous sagittal and lambdoidal ridges, and strong and greatly 

 arched zygomata. The general type of its construction is Viverrine, 

 though there is no alisphenoid canal or septum between the anterior 

 and posterior portions of the auditory bulla. As to the first point, 

 we have seen that the canal is generally wanting in Viverricula, and 

 constantly so in the Galidictince and Eupleres, As to the auditory 

 bulla, it is interesting to note that the aperture between the chambers 

 is enlarged in the Herpestina (which by their circumanal pouch 

 resemble the Hycenidce) ; and though there is no septum, yet I have 

 detected in both species of Hycena, inside the auditory bulla, two 

 osseous ridges or laminae, which if further developed would divide off 

 a small anterior chamber from the much larger and externally more 

 prominent posterior portion. The anterior portion of the margin of 

 the external opening of the auditory meatus (which has no fissure or 

 foramen in its floor) is much more produced than any other part — an 

 exaggeration of a character we have already seen in the Herpestin(e. 

 There is no pterygoid fossa. The postorbital processes are short and 

 blunt, and widely separated from the malar processes. The skull 

 is not pinched in behind them. The condyloid foramen is concealed. 

 The paroccipital is long and depending. The mastoid is rather 

 prominent. The carotid canal is much more Viverrine than Feline ; 

 its posterior opening is always larger, and generally situated much 

 more anteriorly than in the Felidce, and more approaching its situa- 

 tion in the Viverrina. There is no carotid foramen in the sphe- 

 noid ; but it enters the cranium (beside the hinder end of the sella 

 turcica) through the foramen lacerum, and covered in by the auditory 

 bulla. The palate is much prolonged behind the last molars. The 

 lower border of the mandible is much curved ; the angle is flattened 

 along its inferior border, and is pressed up nearer to the condyle 

 than in Felis or in any other .^luroid I have seeu — Nandinia (which 

 also has rather strongly developed cranial ridges) being most like it 

 in this respect, except, of course, Crocuta and Proteles. 



The teeth of Hyana ' are so well known that I hesitate to re- 

 describe them ; but I feel any utility this paper may possess would 

 be greatly impaired if their resemblances and differences to other 

 iEluroids, and especially to the Cats, were not shortly noted in it. 



The outer upper incisors are canine-like, and much more preponde- 

 rant over the inner ones than in the Cats. The canines, on the other 

 hand (both above and below), are relatively shorter, more flattened 

 internally, and without longitudinal grooves either outside or inside. 

 ^^ is relatively larger than in Felis (though I have observed it to be 



^ Figured by De Blainville (Hy^nes, pi. vi.) and Ouyier (Dents des Mamm. 

 pi. 25). For osteology, see Cuvier's 'Ossemens Fossiles,' 4tLi edition (1835), 

 vol. vii. p. 311, and Atlas, vol. ii. pi. 190. 



