82 THE WHITE RIVER BADLANDS 



common, particularly in the dentition, the structure of the 

 skull, the vertebrae, the limbs, and the feet. One feature of 

 surprising interest, first indicated by Prof. Scott, is that 

 some at least of the Canidae had sharp pointed, high, com- 

 pressed, hooded claws, as in the cats, instead of curved, 

 cylindrical cones, as in the dogs, and had the unmistakable 

 ability of retracting the claws to a greater or less extent. 



Figure 26 — Skull of Cynodictis gregarius. Scott, 1898. 



Although many specimens of the Canidae have been 

 found in the White River badlands, few complete skeletons 

 have been obtained. Until recent years little had been col- 

 lected but heads. Of the several species Cynodictis gregar- 

 ius, Daphoenus felinus and Daphoenus superbus are the 

 best known. Cynodictis gregarius was most abundant and 

 as the name implies seems to have roved the country in 

 packs. It was smaller than the common red fox of the 

 eastern states. Daphoenus felinus reached approximately 

 the size of the coyote, while Daphoenus superbus was as 

 large as a full grown gray wolf. (See Plate 26). One 

 species, Ischyrocyon hyaenodus, includes individuals of 

 larger size. Partial remains of a young individual seem to 

 indicate that the full grown animal would compare favor- 

 ably with the modern grizzly bear. 



Daphoenus seems to represent in pretty fair manner 

 the ancestral stage of the present-day wolf. Cynodictis has 

 many characters resembling those of the modern fox but 

 close relationship has not been proven. A small brain was 

 characteristic of all of the Canidae and this was particu- 

 larly true of Daphoenus. 



