472 PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ZLUROIDEA. [June 6, 
and Felis. It is shorter and stouter in the Viverrida, especially in 
Hemigalea and Cynogale ; and the length of M® 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 Hyena, 
Orocuta, Suricata, and Bdeogale. 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 Paradorurus, 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 Puradorurus, 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 Viverrine, and 
not at all in the Galidictine, Herpestine, and Hyenide. 
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 Oynelurus ; still less so, as in the / iverrine ; or long, 
hardly arched, and with but a very small external lamina, as in the 
Hyenide and Herpestine, 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 93°8 (some Felis), or less than 
55'6 (Viverra). The longest proportion amongst the Viverride is 
79°9 (Suricata); the shortest found by me in the Felide 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 limb shorter 
than the pectoral one. The shortest proportion In the Cats is 
113:1 (Felis tigris). In the Viverrida the longest 1s 136°6 (Wan- 
dinia), and the shortest is 112°0 (Arctictis). In Proteles it is 
104°8. 
