MR. G. BUSK ON THE EXISTING SPECIES OF HT^NA. 59 



Papilio Comma, ScopoU, Cam. No. 463 (1763). 



Papilio Melicerta, Bergstr. Nomenkl. t. 90. f. 1-4 (1779-80). 



Europe, England. 



Eemarks on the Cranial and Dental Characters of the existing 

 Species of Kycdna. By Gteobge Busk, Esq., E.E.S,, Sec. L.S. 



[Read May 3, 1866.] 



The following observations refer more especially to two points 

 concerning which considerable doubt and confusion have hitherto 

 existed. 



(1.) Three, or, as some zoologists have supposed, four species of 

 the genus Sycena are at present in existence ; and it is probable 

 that palaeontology is acquainted with at least three, and perhaps 

 more, extinct forms. It is not my intention here to advert further 

 to the fossil species than to state that, like the existing ones, they 

 fall into two very natural groups of subgeneric value, and that 

 with respect to some among them it has hitherto been found very 

 difficult, and in some cases impossible, to distinguish them from 

 their existing representatives. 



The existing or supposed species of Hycena are : — 



1. HyjEna striata, Zimmerman. 

 H. orientalis, Tiedemann. 



H. vulgaris, Desmarest. 



H. fasciata, Thunberg. 



H. antiquorum, Temminck. 



H, veterum, Kcempfer {Ammn. Exotic. 1712, p. 41 1). 



Canis Hyaena, Linn., Erxleben, &c. {Syst. Anim. 1777). 



Lupus marinus, Gesner. 



Hyene rayee, Cuvier. 



Striped Hyena, Pennant. 



2. H. BRUNNEA, Thunberg {VetensJc. Acad. Handl. 1820, p. 59). 

 H. fusca, G. St. Hilaire. 



H. villosa. Smith {Linn. Trans, xv. 1827, p. 462). 



Hyene dont la patrie est inconnue, Cuvier, Oss. fossil. 4th ed. 1835, viii. 



p. 318. 

 The Strand Wolf of the Cape. 



3. H. CROCUTA, Erxleben (sp.), Syst. Regne Animal, 1777, p. 575. 

 H. maculata, Thunberg (non Odmann). 



H. capensis, Desmarest. 

 Canis crocuta, Erxleben. 

 Crocuta maculata, Kaup {Isis, 1828, p. 1144). 



