370 NOTES ON THE CANID#Z OF THE WHITE RIVER OLIGOCENE. 
than in Daphenus. In some specimens, even aged ones, the anterior half of the parietals 
carries a very narrow sagittal area, rather than a crest, but only in the little C /emur 
from the John Day does this area assume the lyrate form. ‘This fact is of importance in 
determining the primitive or secondary nature of the sagittal crest, concerning which 
there has been some dispute. 
The frontals form relatively as much of the cranial roof as in Canis and haye, when 
viewed from above, an hour-glass shape, which is due to the deep postorbital constriction, 
though the depth of this depression varies considerably in different individuals. The 
postorbital processes are very small and owe their prominence entirely to the constric- 
tion. The forehead is slightly convex, both transversely and longitudinally, though in 
some specimens it has a narrow and shallow depression along the median line, such as is 
found, though much more distinctly, in modern species of both Canis and Vulpes. The 
forehead is bounded by the obscurely marked supraciliary ridges converging posteriorly 
to the sagittal crest, which is entirely upon the parietals, none of it being formed by the 
frontals. Anteriorly the frontals are emarginated to receive the narrow nasals, and send 
forward slender nasal processes, which are separated by short interspaces from the 
ascending rami of the premaxillaries. A noteworthy difference from Daphenus consists 
in the absence of frontal sinuses, in which respect Cynodictis agrees with the alopecoid 
series of the modern Canidae, as Daphenus does with the thooid series. The significance 
of this fact will be discussed in a subsequent chapter. 
The squwamosal has a relatively small extension upon the side of the cranium, and 
this portion of it has a different shape from that seen in the modern dogs, the pari- 
etal suture descending very steeply forward from the occipital crest, while in the modern 
genera this suture pursues a nearly horizontal course. From the base of the zygo- 
matic process to the posttympanic process of the squamosal runs a projecting shelf, 
which overhangs the auditory meatus and is much wider than in Canis or Vulpes, 
though not so broad as in Cynodesmus, Hypotemnodon or Daphenus. The posttym- 
panic process is not larger than in Canis, but is made more conspicuous by the absence 
of any tubular meatus auditorius. The zygomatic process is relatively somewhat heavier 
than in Vulpes, and in shape and proportions much like that of the wolves, though not 
so strongly arched upward; anteriorly it extends to the postorbital process of the 
jugal. The glenoid cavity is broad and the postglenoid process is proportionately heavier, 
more extended transversely and its distal end is more curved forward than in Canis. 
There is no preglenoid ridge. : 
The jugal also resembles that of Canis, though it displays some differences. Thus, 
it is not quite so long as in the modern genus and does not extend so near to the glenoid 
cavity ; it has a less decided upward curvature, and the postorbital angle (it can hardly 
be called a process) is even less conspicuous ; the masseteric surface is broader, more lat- 
