SUBORDER B FISSIPEDIA 59 



Miacis Cope. P^ and M-^^ of moderate to large size, the latter with 

 pitted talonid. M^ generally with small hypocone, both posterior molars 

 small. M. parvivorus Cope. Wasatch beds. M. (Lycarion) hargeri Wortman. 

 M. (Harpalodon) sylvedris Marsh. Bridger beds. M. (Prodaphaenus) uintensis 

 Osborn. Uinta beds. M. exilis Filhol sp. Phosphorites, Quercy. 



Uintacyon Leidy. Posterior molars large, ilf ^ lacking hypocone ; P and 

 M^ small, the latter with trenchant talonid. Wasatch beds. U. riiassetericus 

 Cope. Bridger beds. U. vorax Leidy. 



Miocyon (Prodaphaenus) Wortman and Matthew. M large, P^ reduced. 

 Uinta beds. M. scotti Wortman and Matthew. 



Vassacyon Matthew. M with pitted talonid, P small. Mandible high. 

 Wasatch beds. K promicrodon Wortman and Matthew. 



According to Matthew, the three following named genera resemble the 

 Cercoleptidae. They have the carnassials but little differentiated, and the 

 molars are uniform. 



Oodedes Wortman. Lower molars with strongly developed trigonid 



and trenchant talonid. Upper molars with protoconule, but lacking hypocone. 



P short and high. Bridger beds. 0. herpestoides Wortman. 



4-3 

 Vulpavus Marsh. — - P. Lower molars with low three-pointed trigonid, 



and broad talonid. P large. Upper M with median tubercles and thickened 

 inner cingulum. Wind River beds. V. canavus Cope. Bridger beds, 

 V. palustris Marsh and F. (Phlaodedes) ovatus Matthew. 



Palaeardonyx Matthew. P reduced, M low, flattened, superiorly large 

 and subquadrate in outline. Bridger beds. P. meadi Matthew. 



Suborder B. FISSIPEDIA. Carnivora Vera.i 



Digitigrade or plantigrade carnivores, some of which are likewise omnivorous ; 

 with large convoluted cerebrum. I f rarely -|, canines exceeding the other teeth in 

 size. P trenchant, carnassials P* and M^ Upper M and lower M^ and M^ 

 tubercular, at times exceedingly blunted or disappearing. Digits separated, extremities 

 penta- or tetradactyl, the pollex and hallux seldom reduced ; scapho-hmar and centrale 

 fused. Terminal phalanges ivith pointed, compressed, curved claws which are some- 

 times retractile but never bifid. 



The Fissipedia or Carnivora in the restricted sense resemble the Creodonfia 

 very closely in general aspect, skeletal and cranial structure, and in dental 

 characters. The skull in primitive types agrees with that of the creodonts 

 in its depressed form and elongated jaws, but in the higher types the facial 

 region becomes shortened and the profile steeper. The parietals develop 

 a sharp sagittal crest, which usually divides anteriorly into two divergent 

 branches. There is always a strong zygomatic arch, while the palate is 

 completely ossified, the auditory bulla swollen. The brain cavity is large, 



1 Oope, E. D. Amer. Naturalist, 1880, p. S3S.— Ibid., 1883, p. 235.— FiUiol, H. Arcliiv. 

 Mus. Hist. Nat. Lyon, vol. iii., im?,.— Flower, W. H. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1869.— 

 GaUlard, CI. Archiv. Mus. Hist. Nat. Lyon, vol. vii., 1899. — Lydekker, R., Siwalik and 

 Narbada Carnivora. PaliBontologia Indica, ser. 10, vol. ii., 1884. — Mivart, St. G. Proc. Zool. 

 See. London, 1882, 188^). —Teilhard, P. Annales de Paleont., vol. ix., 1914-16. — Wiiige, H., 

 Jordfundne og nu levende Rovdyr (Carnivora) fra Lagoa Santa. E Mnseo Lundii, Kjpbenhavn, 

 ISQS.—Wortinan, J. L., and Matthew, W. D. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., N.Y., 1899, p. 103. 



