284 Mr. MuRCHisoN on a Fossil Fox found at (Eningen near Constance, 



following; viz. the spinous process of the dentatus appeared to be more ex- 

 panded ; tiie radius more cylindrical and elegant near its brachial extremity ; 

 and the Jibnlce larger^ and more rounded^ than the corresponding parts of the 

 skeletons of the Vulpes communis, which I had an opportunity of examining. 

 I do not, however, think that these slight variations in osteological structure 

 are alone sufficient to establish a variety, much less a species. Near the angle 

 of the lower jaw of the fossil, there is a process of hone so like the sti/loid in 

 form, and occupying the situation which it might be supposed to occupy, if 

 these animals possessed such a process, that its appearance was at first very 

 puzzling: upon minute examination 1 am inclined to believe that it is a spi- 

 culum of bone, displaced by the fracture and compression which the skull has 

 sustained, and that its situation is accidental ; it is, however, too remarkable 

 an appearance to be passed by without comment. 



"I very much regret that from my limited means of observation I cannot offer 

 more satisfactory results : the remark of Baron Cuvier on the bones of the 

 animals of this genus found in caverns, ' that they may with almost equal pro- 

 priety be assumed to belong to one recent species as to another*,' will apply 

 also to the splendid specimen before us. If the skull were perfect, more 

 rigid conclusions might be obtained ; but as this is not the case, I beg to sub- 

 mit that the only inferences we are warranted in deducing are the following : 



" 1st. That the fossil animal belonged to the genus Vulpes. 



" 2ndly. That it bears a closer analogy to the V. communis than to any 

 other with which it has been compared. 



" Lastly, that notwithstanding its resemblance to the recent, it may possibly 

 belong to an extinct species, since specific differences cannot always be de- 

 tected in the skeleton." 



In addition to what Mr. Mantell has said of this animal, I have to observe, 

 that the occurrence of a portion of black-coloured matter in the place of the 

 abdomen, immediately beneath the lumbar vertebrae, induced me, under the 

 supposition of its being the fossil fgeces of the animal, to submit a portion to 

 the examination of Dr. Prout, who, after analysis, has pronounced it to be of 

 the same nature as the balls of Album Grce.cnm, and coprolites of Dr. Buck- 

 land. This is the first instance in which this fossil substance has been found 

 in the body of a land quadruped, although Dr. Buckland had observed that it 

 occurred in the abdominal regions of saurians. In tiiis case, however, it is 

 not the coprolite alone which contains phosphate of lime; for by otlier experi- 

 ments of Dr. Prout it appears that the entire block of the surrounding marl- 

 stone is also impregnated with the same mineral. There seems therefore to 



* Ossemens Fossilcs, torn. iv. p. 4G5. 



