396 NOTES ON THE CANID.E OF THE WHITE RIVER OLIGOCENE. 



navicular is transverse, and owing to the elongation of the neck of the astragalus, it is 

 carried so far distally that it can have no contact with the calcaneum, the astragalus 

 articulating with the cuboid. The astragalar surface is concave, but somewhat less so 

 than in Canis, and the facet for the cuboid is small and confined to the dorsal moiety of 

 the fibular side. The distal end displays the usual facets for the three cuneiforms, which 

 do not require any particular description. 



The entocuneiform has much the same shape as in Canis, elongate in the proximo- 

 distal diameter, but very narrow and much compressed. The navicular facet is rela- 

 tively smaller than in the modern genus and there is no such distinct facet for the nieso- 

 cuneiform. The distal surface, for the head of the first metatarsal, is no wider but much 

 more deeply concave than in Gcmis. 



The mesocuneiform is a minute bone and, as in the fissipede Carnivora generally, its 

 vertical or proximo-distal diameter is much less than that of the adjoining ento- and 

 ectocuneiforms, forming a depression or recess in the distal row of the tarsus, into which 

 the head of the second metatarsal is tightly wedged. The only articular surfaces visible 

 on the mesocuneiform are the proximal and distal, for the navicular and the second meta- 

 tarsal respectively. 



The ectocuneiform is much the largest of the three. Compared with that of Canis, 

 it is narrower in proportion to its height and is also less extended in the dorso-plantar 

 dimension, hut the projecting process from the plantar surface is even more prominent, 

 and is more thickened and club-shaped at the free end. On the tibial side is a minute 

 facet (not double as in Canis) for the side of nit. ii. The facet for the cuboid is much 

 smaller than in the modern dogs and is confined to the dorsal border, while at the infero- 

 external angle of the bone is a minute facet for the head of mt. iv, which is not repre- 

 sented in Canis. The distal end of the ectocuneiform is taken up 'by a facet for mt. iii, 

 which is less concave and has a shorter plantar prolongation than in the modern genus. 



The metatarsus consists of live well-developed members. Unfortunately, there is 

 not a single complete metatarsal preserved in connection with any of the specimens, but 

 enough remains to show that these hones were much longer and stouter than the meta- 

 carpals, and that the disproportion in size and length between the fore and hind feet 

 was much greater than in the recent dogs and quite as great as in many viverrines, such 

 as Herpestes and Paradoxurus or as in Dapha m us. 



The first metatarsal is sufficiently well preserved to indicate that the hallux was 

 well developed and functional, though somewhat mure reduced than in Daphoenus, or in 

 such recent viverrines as Cynogale or Paradoxurus. The head hears a narrow, convex- 

 facet for the entocuneiform and upon its tibial side is a large, rugose prominence for the 

 attachment of the lateral ligament. The shaft is very slender and is arched slightly 



