836 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON THE 



Subfamily LyncodontiN/E, nov. 



Difieriiig from the Grisoninse in cranial and more particularly 

 in external characters. Bullfe inflated, not flattened externally 

 towards auditory orifice, with anterior edge obliquel}^ transverse, 

 not eiMarginate ; mesopterygoid fossa longer ; jmi. 2 lost above and 

 below. Feet with long fossorial claws, but unique in the family ; 

 digits only webbed for a short distance beyond plantar pads ; 

 hairy laterally, mesially naked below, like the reduced webs. 

 Carpal pads reduced to the external moiety which is in contact 

 with the plantar pad, the rest of the carpal a,rea covered with 

 hair, which encroaches over the middle of the plantar pad ; no 

 trace of metat irsal pads ; plantar pad of hind foot reduced like 

 that of fore foot. Upper lip completely grooved. Ear greatly 

 reduced, no trace of bursa or of valvular supratragus. 



Genus Lyncodon. 



I have seen no fresh examples of this small Patagonian genus, 

 my observations having been made upon dried skins and skulls 

 in the Natural History Museum. The coloration is very like 

 that of Grison, with which Lyncodon was affiliated by Matschie, 

 and I suggested that the likeness might be a case of Miillerian 

 •or genuine mimicry (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1908, p. 953). It cannot 

 be claimed that the genus is closely related to Grison. Even the 

 evidence that it is a very aberrant form of the G-'risoji- group is 

 not convincing, despite the resemblance between the two in the 

 internal structure of the bulla suggested by my unavoidably 

 imperfect examination of this portion of the skull in Lyncodon. 

 The feet differ from those of Grison at least as profoundly as the 

 feet of Mustela or Maries differ from those of Meles or Mellivora. 



f . Palate not produced posteviorly, the mesopterygoid fossa reaching 

 almost up to the line of the upper molar teeth. Baculum unossified or 

 ossified as an exceedingly slender undifferentiated rod. 



Subfamily Mephitjn^ Gray & Gill. 



Cavity of bulla simple, ceasing close behind petrous, communi- 

 cating with large periotic hollow by means of a small circuixi scribed 

 orifice set forwards in a line with the outer end of the petrous 

 and in front of the stylomastoid foramen, which is set fai' in and 

 narrowly separated from the foramen lacerum posticum. Bulla 

 not nearly extending to paroccipital, but encroaching on glenoid 

 in front. Muzzle massive, but zygomata and postorbital processes 

 weak. Teeth resembling those of the Melinse a,nd Mydainse, but 

 the upper incisive row nearly straight, the upper molar not twice 

 the size of the carnassial and wider than long : jy9«. 1 lost above 

 and below ; palatine foramina maxillary. Feet fossorial, with 



