288 Wortman — Studies of Eocene Mammalia in the 



palatine fossa, is relatively small and situated somewhat in 

 advance of the canine ; posteriorly, opposite the interval be- 

 tween the fourth premolar and first molar, are seen the palatal 

 openings of the rather large posterior palatine canals, and 

 behind these occur numerous smaller openings of variable size, 

 which, as in so many other cases among the Creodonts, 

 undoubtedly represent the vacuities of the marsupial palate. 



The zygomata are strong and massive, with considerable out- 

 ward arching. The malar extends well forward upon the face, 

 furnishing the entire inferior boundary of the orbit, and upon 

 the under side of the arch, at the point of junction with the 

 maxillary, develops a prominent process which doubtless served 

 for the attachment of one of the principal tendinous origins of 

 the masseter muscle. It passes backward in the usual way into 

 the zygomatic process of the squamosal, terminating at a con- 

 siderable distance in advance of the glenoid cavity. This cavity 

 is large and roomy, and is terminated in front and behind by 

 strong anterior and posterior glenoid processes. There is a 

 small, rugged, slightly inflated, otic bulla, developed apparently 

 from the tympanic, as in Dromocyon vorax. The foramen 

 ovale is situated much as in this species, and there is satisfac- 

 tory evidence of the existence of both an alisphenoid canal and 

 a large postparietal foramen. The posterior region of the 

 skull is otherwise too much broken to admit of a more extended 

 description, further than to add that the occiput was apparently 

 of the same narrow, elevated, overhanging type as that of 

 Dromocyon vorax. 



The lower jaw is deep posteriorly, the coronoid is compara- 

 tively little elevated, and exhibits that characteristic backward 

 shape common to all the members of the family. The masse- 

 teric fossa is broad and shallow and the angle is strongly 

 inflected as in the Marsupials. The condyle is broad and 

 heavy, and of a half -cylindrical pattern. The symphyseal 

 region is not preserved. 



Dentition. — The dental formula, as far as at present known, 

 is as follows : I.f, C.{, Pm.f (?) , M.f. Of the superior series, 

 the crowns of the incisors are not preserved, but judging from 

 their alveoli, they were of the pattern and relations common 

 to a large number of the Creodonts. They were arranged in a 

 semicircle in the premaxillse, the outer pair being considerably 

 larger than the other two, and separated from tiie canine by a 

 short diastema. The canine is large and powerful ; it is sub- 

 round on cross-section at the base of the crown, and is deeply 

 implanted in the maxillge ; there were apparently no anterior 

 or posterior cutting ridges developed. The first premolar is 

 small, with a slightly hook-shaped crown, and is implanted by 

 a single root close to the base of the canine, like the corre- 



