FELTS SPEL^A. 95 



till on the sixth they are represented by minute tubercles that disappear on the seventh. 

 The neural spines resemble those of many other carnivora, being narrower at the summit 

 than at the base, with flat, enlarged, nail-headed summits and sharp edges. We have 

 been enabled to trace more or less of these characters in every lumbar vertebra of Felis 

 spelaa, except the first, of which we have not met with a specimen. 



Of the second we have seen two : one, that of a young but full-grown animal, is 

 without epiphyses, and is otherwise much mutilated ; the other (PL XVI, fig. 3, 3', 3", 3'"), is 

 almost perfect, with the exception of the neural spine. It is distinguished by the size of 

 the dia- and anapophyses, and by the absence of the keel on the ventral aspect of the 

 centrum, which is well developed on the three next vertebrae. This vertebra, as well as 

 the next four, also possesses a well-marked ridge, with deep lateral depressions along the 

 floor of the neural canal, and in the centre of these are foramina for the vessels which 

 supply the bone. 



Of the third we have a specimen, without epiphyses, neural spine, and posterior 

 zygapophyses. The inclination and size of the diapophyses, and the presence of 

 the inferior keel, show this to be a third lumbar. 



The fourth is represented by a specimen also without epiphyses, the left postzyga- 

 pophyses, the neural spine, and the ends of the diapophyses. Enough, however, of the 

 latter is left to determine by the amount of the inclination downwards and forwards, 

 that it is a fourth lumbar; it is provided with a very distinct keel, and the left ana- 

 pophysis is also clearly seen. All the above specimens are from Sandford Hill Cave. 



Of the fifth lumbar we have, as far as we can judge from their mutilated condition, 

 three specimens, all simply centra, from Bleadon ; one of them is about the size of that 

 of an ordinary Tiger, and the others are of the largest size. They are distinguishable by 

 their great length and by the slight development of the keel, which only extends to half 

 the length of the vertebra. 



The sixth lumbar is represented by two specimens ; one from Sandford Hill and the 

 other from Bleadon. Both are in nearly the same state, excepting that the former has no 

 epiphyses ; of both the neurapophyses and zygapophyses are nearly perfect, with portions 

 of the diapophyses, and the anapophysial tubercle is seen on both. Neither of them 

 possesses any keel, which is also absent from the corresponding vertebrae of Tiger. It 

 is, however, frequently present in the anterior part of that of the Lion. The postzyga- 

 pophyses of the Sandford Hill specimen are narrow, but in the specimen from Bleadon 

 Cave they are of the normal width. The inclination and size of the roots of the 

 diapophyses exactly agree with those of the sixth lumbar in the Lion. 



The seventh is represented by a large specimen from Bleadon ; it exactly agrees with 

 Lion in everything but size. It is easily distinguished from the others by being much 

 shorter, by the slight inclination of the epiphyses, and by the width of the postzyga- 

 pophyses which articulate with the sacrum, and by the width and depth of the neural 

 notches. It has no vestige of a keel on the ventral, and but a slight one on the neural 



