1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE .ELUROIDEA. 463 



cess of the firsf dorsal vertebra bifurcates more or less ' laterally ; 

 and the spines of the next six show a tendency similarly to bifurcate ; 

 the spine of the 12th dorsal begins to curve over preaxially towards 

 its tip ; that of the 1 3th does so more decidedly, or may quite incline 

 preaxiadj as the 14th always does. 



The Lumbar VertebrcB. 



The greatest absolute lengths of the lumbar region which I have 

 met with are 40"-0 (Tiger) and 32"-5 (Lion). The longest in the 

 ViverridcB is 17""1 (Cryptoprocta) ; in Crocuta it is 15"'2. 



Its greatest relative length, measured as before, is 37'4 (Wild 

 Cat), 32' 5 being the smallest I find amongst the Felidce. In the 

 Viverridce 34 '4 (Nandinia) is the highest, and 20' 2 (Proteles) in 

 the Hyanidce. The smallest of the Vicerrid(e is 25*0 {Cynogale) 

 aud 25-8 (Suricatd). The smallest of all the ^luroids is 17-6 

 (Crocuta). 



Compared with the dorsal region it may be as 103*6 to 100 

 (Wild Cat) or 93-1 (Nandinia), or only 38*5 (Crocuta). It never 

 equals the dorsal region in length in the Viverridce or HycenidfB. 



The number of lumbar vertebrae is constantly 7 in the Felidcs ; 

 6 or 7 in the Viverridce, except in Arctictis, where it is only 5 as in 

 the Hycenidce. 



The transverse processes are exceptionally short in Arctictis. In 

 Proteles the neural spines are more quadrate and upright than in 

 the FelidcB or ViverridcB ; and they are still more vertical and quad- 

 rate in Hycena and Crocuta. 



The Sacrum. 



The greatest absolute length of the sacrum I have met with is 

 9""5 (Tiger). The longest in the Viverridce is 5"' 1 ( Viverra civetta). 

 In Crocuta it is 7"'6. 



Its greatest relative length, estimated as before, is 10'9 (Crossar- 

 chus obscurus), while 7"8 is its greatest in the Felidce. The smallest 

 of all I have measured^ is 5-5 (Manx Cat), 6"3 (Proteles), and 6*9 

 (Hemigalea). 



The number of sacral vertebrae is almost always 3 ; but there may 

 be 4 in Hycena and Crocuta. 



The neural spines are more developed in the Viverridce than in the 

 Felidce, and notably so in Arctictis. 



The Caudal Vertebrce. 



The absolutely greatest lengths I find to be 88"-0 (Tiger) and 81"7 

 (Arctictis). 



The greatest relative lengths are 153'9 (Nandinia), 151"0 

 (Genetta), 146*4 (Arctictis), and 122.5 (Paradoxurus). Its least 

 dimensions are 8*5 (Manx Cat) and 8*7 ( Suricata). 



1 It bifurcates very decidedly in the skeleton in tbe Museum of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons. In that in the British Museum there is only a slight 

 bifurcation towards its apex. 



2 Cynogale, according to De Blainville's figure, would give 5"1. 



