1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ZLUROIDEA. 463 
cess of the first dorsal vertebra bifureates 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 13th does so more decidedly, or may quite incline 
preaxiad, as the 14th always does. 
The Lumbar Vertebre. 
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 
Viverride 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 Felide. In the 
Viverride 34:4 (Nandinia) is the highest, and 20°2 (Proteles) in 
the Hyenide. The smallest of the Viverride is 25:0 (Cynogale) 
aud 25°8 (Suricata). The smallest of all the Aluroids 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 Viverride or Hyenide. 
The number of lumbar vertebre is constantly 7 in the Felide ; 
6 or 7 in the Viverride, except in Arctictis, where it is only 5 asin 
the Hyenide. 
The transverse processes are exceptionally short in Arctictis. In 
Proteles the neural spines are more quadrate and upright than in 
the Felide or Viverride ; and they are still more vertical and quad- 
rate in Hyena and Crocuta. 
The Sacrum. 
The greatest absolute length of the sacrum I have met with is 
9''-5 (Tiger). The longest in the Viverrid@ 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 Felide. Thesmallest 
of all I have measured? is 5-5 (Manx Cat), 6°3 (Proteles), and 6°9 
(Hemigalea). 
The number of sacral vertebree is almost always 3 ; but there may 
be 4 in Hyena and Crocuta. 
The neural spines are more developed in the Viver ride than in the 
Felide, and notably so in Arctictis. 
The Caudal Vertebre. 
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 Tt bifurcates very decidedly in the skeleton in the 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 51. 
