FELIS SPEL^A. 55 



Straus-Durckheim " sagitto-pavillien," " occipito-pavillien," and occipito-scutien.^ The 

 first appears to have a retrorsal and the others a rotary action on that organ. There 

 are also many other small muscles connected with the movement of the ear, for which 

 we would refer to the pages of the author we have so often quoted on the myology of the cat. 

 The proportions of the Wormian and parietals are not constant in the skulls of the 

 larger species of Felidse. There is, however, a tendency in those of the adult tiger to a 

 greater development of the whole of the posterior and upper solid mass at the juncture of 

 the sagittal and occipital crests than in those of the oldest lion. It also has a greater 

 upward projection, which gives to the tigrine skull the "serpentine" outline, which 

 Cuvier considers characteristic.^ The examination, however, of a veiy large number of 

 skulls shows their variability in this respect, and compels us to look upon it as a tendency 

 only. In the straightness, and even in one case the downward curvature, of this portion 

 of the sagittal crest, Felis spelcea agrees with Felis leo. 



§ 17. Frontals (Pis. VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, No. 11).— The frontals in many, if not 

 most, mammalia, present characteristics of more or less specific value, and especially in 

 the leonine and tigrine skulls. They roof in the highest and most central region of the 

 carnivorous skull, whether taken longitudinally or transversely. Each presents the fol- 

 lowing surfaces : — The superior or coronal, the antero-lateral or orbital, the postero-lateral 

 or temporal, the postero-internal or cerebral, and the antero-internal, nasal, or ethmoidal. 

 There are also two other surfaces, the median or symphysial, by which each is united to 

 its fellow, and the parietal, a deep triangular suture, inclined diagonally backwards and 

 downwards. Of this latter the great depth and deeply serrated structure is well seen in 

 the spelaean skull, PI. X, the parietals having been broken away. The superior or coronal 

 surface of each half is somewhat tiiangular in form, the interfrontal portion of the sagittal 

 suture being straight, up to the point of junction with the nasals, where the edge curves 

 outwards and passes under the latter bones. This edge, about one inch and a half more 

 or less in length, ends in a sharp point, where it meets the maxillary. It then sweeps 

 backwards, parallel to the median line, forming a deep notch for the reception of the 

 frontal process («') of the maxillary, by which it is overlapped. The process of the frontal 

 thus lying between the nasal and the maxillary may be called the naso-maxillary process 

 {w). It is proved, by an examination of a large series of skulls, to be wider in lion and 

 Felis spelaa than in the tiger. From the top of the frontal process the fronto-maxillary 

 suture passes forwards and downwards to meet the lachrymals. The edge of the bone, 

 then passing backwards into the orbit, is articulated to the latter bone by a suture 

 directed diagonally downwards and backwards, from the latter of which it is connected 

 with the palatine and orbito-sphenoid by a long horizontal suture. It then on the 



^ Op. cit., vol. ii, pp. 19.T et seq. 

 2 'OsE. Foss.,' vol. iv, p. 453. 



