502 PROF. ST. -GEORGE MIVART ON THE ^LUROIDEA. [JuDB 6, 



The papillae generally, other than those of the dorsal patch, are 

 relatively small, and the fungiform papillce are but little conspi- 

 cuous. Even those of the patch are relatively smaller than in the 

 previously noticed genera. The lytta is small. There are only two 

 circumvallate papillce, and they are very small. 



In Proteles the tongue is very exceptional indeed. It is spatulate 

 in form, and the dorsal patch attains here its maximum of distinct- 

 ness. The patch extends quite to the apex and side of the anterior 

 third of the dorsum of the tongue. Each papilla of the patch is an 

 enlarged hemispherical prominence. The fungiform papilla are 

 only conspicuous at the sides of the tongue and in front of the cir- 

 cumvallate papillcB, of which there are but two, each of which is 

 situated in a very deep depression. The flattened papillae are very 

 inconspicuous. 



The Palate, Nose, and Lips. 



In all-^luroids the membrane covering the hard palate is raisedinto 

 a greater or less number of transverse curved ridges, the number of 

 which may vary somewhat with the length of the muzzle, though 

 there are eight of them in both the Cat and the Genet. But while 

 in the Cat the ridges form a series of very open curves (convex 

 forwards), in the Genet the curves are much sharper. Moreover, 

 while in the Cat each ridge is entire, in the Genet the four hinder 

 ridges are more and more interrupted medianly, and each of these 

 ridges, as it proceeds towards the middle line of the palate, bifur- 

 cates nearer and nearer to its origin, i. e. to the outer margin of the 

 palate. By this system of bifurcations there tend to be produced 

 eight incomplete and four complete transverse ridges, instead of, as 

 in the Cat, eight complete ones. 



The nose in the j^luroids is almost always medianly and ver- 

 tically grooved ; but this groove may be absent, as in Rhinogale, 

 Crossarchus, and Suricata, 



Similarly the upper lip is more or less vertically cleft or deeply 

 grooved medianly. This groove, however, is absent in Cynogale, 

 Rhinogale, Crossarchus, and Suricata. 



Teeth. 



The Felidce have the smallest number of teeth except the dentally 

 degraded form Proteles, which has but three molars above and two 

 below on either side. 



All ^luroids have 1. 1, C. \- 



The premolars and molars may be 



p m.24-3-|-4 •», l-f2 1 Viverra, Genetta, Arctogale, 

 ^™' 1+2+34-4' ^^- 1+2 J Cynogale, &c. 



p 1+2+3+4 jyj 1 I prionodon. 



1+2+3+4' 1+2 J 



Pm. |-^^+^+t M. 4 } Some Paradoxuri. 



1+2+3+4' 1 J 



