1846.] 



OWEN ON THE FOSSIL FOX OF CENINGEN. 



55 



S. On the extinct Fossil Viverrine Fox of CEningen, showing 

 its specific characters and affinities to the Family Viverrid^^. 

 By Professor Owen, F.R.S., F.G.S. 



In compliance with the request of Sir R. Murchison, I have ex- 

 amined the fossil Fox described and figured in Dr.Mantell's appendix 

 to the * Memoir on the CEningen Deposits,' in which formation was 

 discovered that interesting and remarkably perfect specimen*. 



The number and kind of teeth in the fossil are there shown (loc. 

 cit. p. 291) to agree with the dental formula of the Fox and the rest 

 of the genus Canis of Linnaeus. 



On comparing the well-preserved specimens of the teeth in the 

 right ramus of the lower jaw, the inner surfaces of which are ex- 

 posed in the right moiety of the skeleton, with, the corresponding 

 teeth of a Common Fox {Canis Vulpes^ Linn.) of equal size with 

 the fossil, the following well-marked differences are seen. 



Fig. 1. 



Jaws and teeth of Galecynus oeningensis, nat. size. 



Fig. 2. 



Teeth of the lower jaw of Vulpes communis^ nat. size. 



The first premolar (fig. \. p 1) is relatively smaller, the third 

 (jt? 3) and fourth {p 4) relatively larger than in the Fox, and all 

 the premolars are placed closer together, and occupy, therefore, less 

 space in the fossil than in the Common Fox, the Arctic Fox, or the 



* See Trans. Geol. Soc. 2nd Series, vol. iii. p. 275. 



