STRIPED JIY.13NA IN THE TEll'IlAKY OF THE VAL d'aENO. 65 



inner cusp to the lower carnassial, although one specimen of the 

 living species in the Museum of the College of Surgeons also shows 

 the same deficiency. In H. brmmea, however, judging from a single 

 specimen, the inner tubercle of pm. 4 does not extend forward to 

 the anterior border of the first lobe of this tooth, in which respect 

 this species resembles R. striata *. 



So far as T can gather, II. arvernensis seems also to be closely 

 allied to H. hrunnea, having an inner cusp to the lower carnassial, 

 although there is no evidence as to the position of the tubercle in 

 the upper carnassial. I am, indeed, not very clear how 11. arver- 

 nensis can be even specifically distinguished from H. brunnea, and 

 I would observe that both these forms seem decidedly nearer to 

 H. stinata than to H. crociita, while //. Perrieri seems to connect 

 them with the latter. 



Finally, I submit that sufficient evidence has now been adduced 

 to prove beyond reasonable doubt the occurrence of the Striped 

 Hysena in the ossiferous deposits of the Yal d'Arno, and also that 

 none of the specimens hitherto figured from these beds are referable 

 to that species. 



Discussion. 



The Pkesident called attention to the remarkable geographical 

 distribution of recent and fossil Hyaenas. He remarked that H. 

 crocuta had been found by Mr. Lyclekker in some of the Indian 

 caves, though R. striata was the only form living in that country ; 

 and that at the present day H. striata was not found anywhere 

 along with R. crocuta, although both, or their ancestors, appear to 

 have inhabited Europe in late Tertiary times. 



* Too much importance must not be attached to the position of this tubercle. 

 Thus in H. crocuta it usually extends to the anterior border of the first lobe, 

 but in one recent skull preserved in the Geological Department of the British 

 Museum it is behind this border, and a considerable variation maj' be observed 

 in the series of fossil specimens in that collection. 



Q. J. G.S. No. 181. 



