450 PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ZLUROIDEA. [June 6, 
In absolute size the longest I have met with is that of a Lion, 
174"°5. The smallest is that of Helogale, the skeleton of which I 
have not met with. 
The Cervical Vertebre. 
The greatest absolute length of the cervical vertebrze which I 
met with was in the skeleton of a Tiger, where they measured 260 ; 
but in Crocuta they attained 24:1. 
The greatest proportion borne by the cervical region to the axial 
column from the atlas to the postaxial end of the sacrum—the latter 
being taken as 100—was 32°9 (Proteles). The next longest were 
28°3 (Hemigalea), 27:9 (Hyena), 27:4 (Viverricula), and 26°5 
(Genetia and Cynogale). The smallest proportions were 19 (Hemi- 
galidia) and 18°8 (Aretictis). In the Felide I found it to vary 
from 19°3 to 22:6. 
The atlas in the Felideis provided with large transverse processes, 
each of which projects outwards almost, if not quite, as much towards 
its preaxial as towards its postaxial end ; and the transverse processes 
project postaxiad but little beyond the postaxial margin of the cen- 
tral part of the atlas. In the Hyenide, on the other hand, the two 
transverse processes project considerably more backwards, while the 
postaxial end of each projects outwards equally beyond its preaxial 
end ; so that the atlas has the appearance of being furnished with two 
obtusely pointed wings extending much outwards and considerably 
backwards. 
In the Viverrideé various intermediate conditions occur, Genetia 
approaching the Cats most nearly, and Suricata having the transverse 
processes the most diverging, and Viverra the most postaxially 
projecting. Sometimes a small pointed spine projects postaxiad 
from the middle of the postaxial margin of the body, as in the 
Galidictine and Herpestes. 
In a young Hyena, in the Museum of the Royal College of 
Surgeons (no. 4474 c), the body of the atlas remains distinct. 
The avis varies as to the shape of its spinous process, the degree 
of development of its ventral ridges, and the development of its 
hyperapophyses. The spinous process may have its dorsal margin 
nearly straight, asin the Cat, or strongly convex, as in Viverra. 
Its anterior margin may be strongly pointed, as in the Civets, or its 
hinder end, as in the Cat. The hinder part of the spinous process 
may be much produced upwards, as in Suricata, or may bifurcate, 
as in the Hycnide. The ventral, antero-posterior ridges of the axis 
are greatly developed in the Galidictine, Herpestes, and Viverra. 
They are but little marked in the Hyenide and Suricata, and still 
less in the Cat. The hyperapophyses' are very marked in Suricata 
and the Hyewnide, where we have the pointed ends of the postaxial 
bifurcation of the spinous process, beneath these the hyperapophyses, 
and beneath these again the postzygapophyses. 
The remaining cervical vertebre attain an exceptional size and 
strength, as well as length, in the Hyenide, and are generally more 
* For these processes see P. Z.S. 1865, p. 576. 
