94 PLEISTOCENE MAMMALIA. 



indicate a passage to the development of the anapophyses on the suceeeding vertebra. 

 In other respects it resembles the other true dorsals. It differs from the corresponding 

 bone of the Bear in the much greater length and smaller depth of its centrum, and the 

 smaller size of the neural spine. The prezygapophyses are also flat, and lie on the top of 

 the neurapophyses in the Lion, whereas they are inclined to each other, and lie more on 

 the metapophysis in the Bear. The neural notch is also deeper in the former than in the 

 latter; the centrum is keeled in Bear, but is rounded in Lion. Our specimen agrees 

 with that of Lion, excepting that the whole specimen is proportionally somewhat wider. 

 It is of very large size. 



The length of the centrum, which is so apparent in all the vertebrae of Felis when 

 compared with Ursus, is still more decided as we approach the lumbars. The fourth 

 class of dorsals, lumbo-dorsals, or rib-bearing lumbars, as they are sometimes called, 

 approach the lumbars proper closely in form. They are provided with strong perpen- 

 dicular metapophyses and horizontal backward projecting anapophyses so disposed that 

 the postzygapophyses projecting far beyond the centrum, lock between the metapophyses 

 of the succeeding vertebra, which are again locked by the anapophyses of that preceding. 

 There is but one costal articulation, i. e. the parapophysial on the side of the centrum, 

 close to the anterior epiphyses. There is no trace of a diapophysis on the first of these or 

 the twelfth, but on the second or thirteenth a minute tubercle above the parapophysis 

 shows the trace of the lumbar form of this process. We have one imperfect specimen of 

 the second of this form of vertebra from Sandford Hill Cave without epiphyses, and other- 

 wise much broken. The diapophysial tubercle can be just traced ; we can find no distin- 

 guishing mark between it and that of large recent Feles. 



§ 6. Lumbar Vertebra (PI. XVI, fig. 3, 3', 3", 3'").— Although the lumbar vertebrae of 

 the smaller Feles resemble those of some other carnivora of similar size, we know of none 

 that can be compared with those of the larger forms, such as Lion, Tiger, and Felis spelma. 

 Perhaps, generally speaking, the tendency in the two latter is to somewhat greater length 

 of centrum than in the Lion ; but we have met with lumbars of the Lion in which the 

 proportions are identical with those of the largest and longest Tiger, and differing in 

 nothing but size from those of the largest Felis spelaa. 



The long centra, with eUiptical section and fiat epiphyses, the broad, flat-sided neura- 

 pophyses from the lower edge of which descend and project forward the strong diapo- 

 physes gradually increasing in length from the first to the sixth, are characters which, 

 taken together, at once distinguish the large feline lumbars from any of similar size. 



In addition, the metapophyses supporting the flat prezygapophyses are well developed 

 on all the lumbars. The postzygapophyses, which are very narrow on the first, gradually 

 increase in width to the sixth, and are very wide on the seventh, which articulates with 

 the sacrum. The anapophyses passing under and locking with the metapophyses of the 

 succeeding vertebrae, are largely developed in the first, but decrease in size backwards. 



