Marsh Collection, Peabody Museum. 34:3 



osteology may be obtained. In one, which is here selected as 

 the type, figures 2 and 3, the larger portion of the anterior 

 moiety of the skull, together with a few fragments of other 

 bones of the skeleton, are preserved, while in the other, parts 

 of the skull, vertebrae, one. hind limb complete, parts of 

 fore limb, ribs, etc., are present in more or less perfect condi- 

 tion. There is one other specimen in which there are upper 

 and lower teeth in association, and in this specimen the alveolus 

 for the third superior molar is clearly shown. 



Skull and Dentition. — The facial portion of the skull is suffi- 

 ciently preserved to admit of description; this together with 

 some fragments of the base of the skull and the larger part of the 

 cranial vault serve to give a reasonably accurate idea of the skull. 

 As compared with the Red Fox, the muzzle is shorter and less 

 slender, resembling in this respect the Miocene Cynodictis 

 gregarius, with which it agrees fairly well in size. The orbit 

 is relatively larger than in this latter species, holding about the 

 same proportions as that seen in the fox. Its anterior edge 

 lies over the anterior half of the sectorial as in Cynodictis, 

 while in the fox the orbit is more posterior. The infra- 

 orbital foramen is larger and occupies its usual position on the 

 side of the face ; its posterior edge is a little more posterior 

 than in Cynodictis, coinciding with the anterior border of the 

 superior sectorial as in the fox. The skull is much con- 

 stricted behind the orbits as in Cynodictis, in marked 

 contrast with the relatively broad area of this region in the 

 fox. There is a distinct postorbitai process present, although 

 it is small as in Cynodictis. The lachrymal has the same 

 relative size and proportions in the three genera and is not 

 spread out on the face ; there is a small lachrymal tubercle 

 present, which is less conspicuous in Cynodictis and absent in 

 the fox. The two converging branches from the postorbitai 

 process unite just in front of the postorbitai constriction to 

 form a sagittal crest of moderate proportions just as in the case 

 of the Miocene Cynodictis. In a large majority if not all the 

 foxes, as is well known, these branches do not unite until near 

 the lambdoidal crest, leaving a large lyrate area in this region of 

 the skull. The development of this lyrate area is no doubt 

 due to a progressive widening of the anterior part of the 

 brain. In all modern species the postorbitai constriction is 

 very much less than in either the Miocene or Eocene forms. 

 The zygomatic arches are well developed and display a some- 

 what greater degree of stoutness than that of Cynodictis and 

 the fox. 



A portion of a left squamosal exhibiting the glenoid fossa is 

 sufficiently preserved to indicate the existence of an unusually 

 broad postglenoid process; this is divided by a deep notch 



