AUDITORY BULLA IN THE MUSTELID^. 



481 



The bulla of MelUvora resembles internally that of Meles except 

 that the cavity is posteriorly in communication by means of a 

 tolerably large orifice in the anterior part of the hinder chamber 

 with a smooth-walled cavity hollowed out in the periotic behind 

 the stylomastoid foramen. The posterior rafter is deeper and 



Text-figure 17. 



A. Bulla of Ictonyx opened from below, the arrow showing the passage between the 



cavitj' and the hollow in the external portion of the periotic. 



B. The same of Fcecilictis opened from behind, showing- the extension of the cavity 



into the occipital and mastoid. 



C. The same of 3feUivora opened from below, the arrow showing the passage 



between the cavitj' and the small hollow in the external portion of the 

 periotic. 



D. The same opened from behind. 



Lettering as in Text-figs. 15 and 16. 



more arcuate than in Meles, and forms a half-partition between 

 the anterior and posterior portions of the cavity of the bulla — 

 and beliind it on the inner side a vertical crest of bone juts out 

 from the inner wall of the bulla. 



33* 



