476 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON THE 



and in connection with the ^luroid (or Mungotoid) families 

 cited, it may be noted that the Felidae, which, like Mttstela, 

 Orison, etc., have shorter jaws and the teeth more reduced 

 numerically than in any other Oarnivora, they are set back, 

 whereas in such relatively long-jawed forms as the typical 

 Viverridse they are wholly maxillary in position. 



The Foramen rotundum. — As in the Canidte, this foramen is 

 visibly separated from the foramen lacerum anticum in profile 

 view of the skull in Maries, Charronia, G%do, Helictis, and 

 Taxidea ; but in Mustela, Pictorius, Grison, Lyncodon, Tayra, 

 Ictonyx, Poecilogale, Mellivora, Meles, Mephitis, and Lutra it is 

 at most visible as a separate orifice when the orbit is looked into 

 from the front, lying quite close to the foramen lacerum. anticum 

 in a depression common to the two. Not uncommonly the two 

 orifices are confluent owing to the failure of the partition to 

 ossify, but within the limits of the genus Ictonyx there is 

 individual or racial variation in this particular, and no doubt the 

 same is true of other genera. 



The Foramen ovale. — The positioii of this foramen with regard 

 to the orifice of the eustachian tube varies in accordance with the 

 length of the back of the skull and with the inflation of the 

 anterior part of the bulla. Typically it is separated by a con- 

 siderable space from that oi'ifice as in Mustela, Futorius, Maries, 

 Charronia, Gulo, Tayra, Grison, Mellivora, Meles, Heliciis, and 

 Lutra ; but in Ictonyx, Fcecilictis, Taxidea, Mephitis, Bpilogale, 

 and Conepaius the foramen is only separated from the eustachian 

 orifice by a thin plate of bone. 



The Glenoid foramen. — The typical position of this in profile view 

 of the skull is in front of the external auditory meatus either in 

 line with it or slightly higher or lower as the case may be. It is 

 lowest in Taxidea, where it is almost below the lower edge of the 

 meatus. In Meles it is, on the contrary, almost above the upper 

 edge of the meatus. In Mustela, Maries, Charronia, Gulo, Tayra, 

 Mellivora, Ictonyx, Grison, and Lutra it holds intermediate 

 positions. In Mejjhitis, Spilogale, and Conepaius it is, however, 

 set right over the middle of the upper rim of the meatus ; and in 

 Helictis it occupies almost the same position — farther back even 

 than in the Canidsp. 



When the skull is viewed from below, the position of the 

 foramen also varies with respect to the auditory meatus. In 

 Helictis, Mephitis, Sjnlogale, and Conepaius it is quite concealed 

 behind the rim of the orifice. In Maries, Charronia, and Meles 

 it is just concealed by its anterior rim. In Mustela, Putorius, 

 Tayra, Ictonyx, Grison, Taxidea, and Mellivora it is just visible 

 in jfront of the anterior rim of the orifice. In Gido and Lutra it 

 is exposed in front of the tubular meatus, nearly as far inwards 

 as in the Ursida\ 



The Stylomastoid foramen. — Typically this foramen lies on the 

 inner side of the mastoid prominence and between it and the 

 inflated portion of the bulla. It is approximately in line Avith 



