G. I. Adams — Extinct Eelidce of North America. 419 



Art. XLIX. — The Extinct Eelidce of North America ; by 

 Geo. I. Adams, Fellow of Princeton College. (With Plates 

 X, XI, XII.) 



The following paper is a result of studies by the author in 

 the Department of Palseontology of Princeton. It is an attempt 

 to summarize the literature on the extinct Felidse, to add such 

 new points of knowledge as it has been possible to discover and 

 to propose a classification for the family. I wish here to express 

 my thanks for privileges of study kindly extended by Prof. 

 JEL F. Osborn and Dr. J. L. Wortman of the American 

 Museum, to Prof. Cope for suggestions and use of material, 

 and to Mr. Dixon and Dr. Nolan of the Philadelphia Academy 

 for assistance in examining specimens and literature in that 

 institution. I wish also to acknowledge my special indebt- 

 edness to Prof. W. B. Scott, whose valuable criticism and 

 kindly interest have been an inspiration to me in my work, 

 and to Mr. J..B. Hatcher, from whom I have received much 

 information and assistance. The illustrations are by Mr. 

 Rudolph Weber and their excellence is due to his care and 

 skill. 



Osteology of Hoplophoneus Primcevus. 



Hoplophoneus primcevus is at present known from a short 

 description of the type skull by Leidy (Geol. Sur. Wis., Iowa, 

 Minn, and Neb. 1852), and later from a description of a speci- 

 men nearly agreeing with the type along with a second larger 

 skull which belongs to a different species (Extinct Fauna of 

 Dak. and Neb.) A restoration and brief description has been 

 published by Scott (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoology, Harvard, 1887). 

 The material here described consists of a nearly complete 

 skeleton, which is well preserved (No. 10741, Princeton Col- 

 lection) and a skull somewhat crushed (No. 11013). In addi- 

 tion there is in the same collection a skeleton (No. 10934) 

 not very complete but having associated with it the anterior 

 and posterior portions of the skull which agree very closely 

 with the above mentioned specimen and is supplemented by 

 another lacking the occiput (No. 10540.) This latter specimen 

 is slightly smaller but is a young skull just losing the decidu- 

 ous canines. The principal material is that which was referred 

 by the writer to H. primcevus in the American Naturalist for 

 January, '96, and corresponds with the original type. 



This species of Hoplophoneus is of special interest inas- 

 much as it agrees very closely in size with Dinictis felina, the 

 osteology of which is known from the description by Dr. 



