472 PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE .ELTJROIDEA. [June 6, 



nnd Felis. It is shorter and stouter in the Viverridee, especially in 

 Eemigalea and Cynogale ; and the length of ]\P and M' is less in 

 excess of that of M" and M* than in the Cats. 



There is no pollex, save a rudimentary metacarpal, in Hyeena, 

 Crocuta, Suricata, and Bdeoyale. Though present in all the other 

 genera, its length, compared with that of the index, may vary con- 

 siderably. Thus the whole pollex may not extend down the meta- 

 carpal of the index so far as one quarter of the length of the latter, 

 as in Felis. 



It may extend half down the metacarpal of the index or more, as 

 in Proteles, Cynictis, Viverricula. 



It may extend down to the distal end of the metacarpal of the 

 index, as in Viverra civetta, Genetta, Fossa, Galidictis, Galidia, 

 Herpestes (often), Crossarchus. 



It may reach to the middle of the proximal phalanx of the index, 

 or sometimes even to its distal end, as in Paradoxurus, Arctictis, 

 Eupleres, Hemigalea. 



The metacarpal of the pollex may not extend even one quarter 

 down that of the index, as in Felis. 



It may reach nearly half down, as in Viverricula, Herpestes, and 

 Proteles. 



It may extend half down it, or a little more, as in Viverra, Ge- 

 netta, Fossa, Galidictis, Galidia, and Arctictis. 



It may nearly extend downwards as far as does the metacarpal 

 of the index, as in Paradoxurus, Cynogale, Hemigalea, Eupleres. 



The middle phalanges of the digits may be greatly excavated on 

 one side to give place to the ultimate phalanges in their rolled-back 

 or contracted position. This is the case in the Cats ; they are 

 almost as much so in Hemigalea, much less so in the Viverrince, and 

 not at all in the Galidictince, Herpestina;, and Hycenida. 



The ultimate phalanges may be very greatly arched and pointed, 

 and with a deep lamina of bone round the proximal part, to shelter 

 the root of the claw externally, as in the Cats generally ; sometimes 

 less so, as in Cynailurus ; still less so, as in the Viverrince ; or long, 

 hardly arched, and with but a very small external lamina, as in the 

 Hy<xnida, and Herpestina, especially in Suricata. 



The Pelvic Limb. 



The proportion borne by the entire pelvic limb (femur, tibia, and 

 pes) to the spine is never more than 938 (some Felis), or less than 

 55'6 (Viverra). The longest proportion amongst the Viverridce is 

 79*9 (Suricata) ; the shortest found by me in the Felidce was 75-6. 



The greatest proportion borne by the entire pelvic limb to the 

 entire pectoral limb at 100 is 139"8 (Felis eyra), the smallest is 

 94*4 (Crocuta). In none but Crocuta is the pelvic hmb shorter 

 than the pectoral one. The shortest proportion in the Cats is 

 113'1 (Felis tigris). In the Viverridce the longest is 136'6 (Nan- 

 dinia), and the shortest is 112-0 (Arctictis). In Proteles it is 

 104-8. 



