NOTES ON THE CANIDJE OF THE WHITE RIVER OLIGOCENE. 



373 



cynoid. The condylar foramen is an opening, hardly larger than a pin-hole, which per- 

 forates the ridge running rnesially from the paroccipital process; its position is just as in 

 Canis. The foramen lacerum posterius is rather smaller than in existing representatives 

 of the family, which is due to the greater proportionate elongation of the auditory bulla, 

 and for the same reason the stylomastoid foramen is less conspicuously displayed. An 

 important difference from Canis and Vulpes consists in the presence of a well-defined 

 external opening of the carotid canal, which grooves the inner side of the auditory bulla 

 somewhat behind the middle of its course ; it is much better shown in some specimens 

 than in others. In the modern Chnidce, " the carotid canal is complete and of tolerable 

 dimensions ; but its external opening is not visible on the surface of the bulla, being 

 deep in the foramen lacerum posticum " ( Flower, '69, p. 24). The other carnivorous 

 families, however, have the carotid canal with visible opening, but varying in position in 

 the" different groups. 



The foramen lacerum medium and the Eustachian foramen are very much as in 

 Canis, but the glenoid foramen is somewhat concealed by the prolonged anterior lip of 

 the auditory meatus. The foramen ovale is a narrow slit which may be readily over- 

 looked, and is closed by even a slight distortion of the skull. An alisphenoid canal is 

 present, and the other openings, the optic, anterior lacerated and round foramina, are as 

 in the recent cynoids. The whole structure of the cranial basis and its foramina are thus 

 canine in character, with only a single difference, the distinctness of the carotid canal. 

 There is nothing to suggest relationship with the viverrines. 



Measurements. 



Skull, length (fr. occ. condyles) 



Cranium, length (occ. condyles to preorbital border) 



Face, preorbital length 



Occiput, breadth across mastoid processes 



Erain case, greatest breadth 



Skull, width across zygomas 



Zygomatic arch, length 



Face, width at p - 



" " " canine 



Mandible, length (fr. condyle) 



depth at m T 



" "p 5 



thickness at m T 



height of coronoid process (from ventral 

 border) 



height of condyle fr. angle 



No. 10493. 



No. 10513. 



No. 10939. 



No. 11012. 



No. 11381. 



No. 11382. 







0.092 



0.092 



0.086 



.062 



?.062 



.064 



.064 





.059 







.032 



.030 





.030 



.033 



.034 



.034 



.038 



.035 



.032 



.031 



.032 



.032 



.035 



.033 



.033 



.052 











.055 



.042 



.043 



.043 



.043 





.042 



.026 



.020 



.026 







.030 



.009 



.011 



.016 

 .063 

 .011 



.017 

 .011 





.01 s 

 .060 

 .010 



.0045 



0055 



.010 

 0055 



.OOS 

 005 





.007 

 005 



.027 



.029 



?.027 







.029 



.014 











.013 



0.089 

 .063 

 .02S 

 ,033 

 .033 



.014 

 .025 

 .015 



