SUBORDER B ^ FISSIPEDIA 6Y 



wild dogs, G. mikii, C. intermedins, and C. hercynicus. The dingo occurs fossil 

 in Australia. The domestic species, C. familiaris, first appears during the 

 Neolithic period. Remains of the marsh dog, C. familiaris palustris, and of 

 the large G. familiaris inostranzewi, are found in the Swiss lake dwellings. 



Other varieties (C familiaHs matris optimae and G. leineri) occur in the 

 Eronze Age. According to Studer, it is probable that the innumerable 

 varieties of existing domestic dogs have a common ancestor. Originally 

 descended from one or more Pleistocene species of wolf-like wild dogs, their 

 manifold subsequent modifications have been all brought about by breeding, 

 as well as to some extent also by crossing with wolves and jackals. The dogs 

 of the southern hemisphere have probably sprung from a dingo-like ancestor. 



Viilpes Brisson. Talonid of lower M basin-shaped. G and M slender. 

 V. vulgaris Linn. sp. occurs fossil in the Pleistocene of Europe ; V. donnizani 

 Dep^ret in the Middle Pliocene of Roussillon ; V. borbonicus Brav. and V. 

 megamastoides Pomel in the Pliocene of Auvergne ; V. alopecoides Del Campana in 

 the Pliocene of Val d'Arno. V. sinensis Schlosser in the Pliocene of China, and 

 V. curvipalatus Bose in the Indian Siwalik. The oldest fossil representative of the 

 genus Vulpes is probably G. vafer Leidy, in the Upper Miocene of North America. 



Leucocyon Pallas. The arctic fox (Leucocyon lagopus Pallas) is common with 

 the reindeer and lemming in the European Pleistocene. 



Gyon Blanford. Dentition usually f 31. Lower molars with trenchant 

 talonid. Eecent in Asia, fossil in European Pleistocene. 



Idicyon and Palaeocyon Lund. Fossil in Brazilian bone caverns. 



Otocyon Lichtenstein. | M. One recent species from South Africa. 



Family 2. Ursidae. Bears. ^ 

 ' " • G robust, large ; P always small in comparison with the molars. 



Pg cb'n-d Pg, less frequently F^, lacking. P |- short, P^ with two blunted outer tubercles, 

 and a posteriorly broadened, but displaced, inner tubercle. Upper molars more or less 

 quadritubercular, much longer than broad. M-^^ with low trigonid, M^ and M^ with 

 large concave talonid, rarely trenchant ; M^ with rounded crown. Granium elongated, 

 auditory bulla flattened. Paroccipital and mastoid processes strongly developed. 

 Extremities large, pentadactyl and plantigrade, fifth digit larger and stronger than 

 the others. Tail short, os penis large. 



The bears comprise large, mostly omnivorous carnivores, distinguished 

 as to dentition by the absence of true carnassials, and the presence of typically 

 quadrate, or subquadrate, multitubercular molars. In skeletal features they 

 resemble the Amphicyoninae, but are more stoutly and compactly constructed. 

 The plantigrade extremities are adapted for climbing and grasping. Bears 

 are recent and fossil in Europe, Asia, North Africa, North and South 

 America. In America they appear first in the Pliocene, originating first in 

 Europe as an off'shoot of the Gijnodontinae, which in turn are derived from 

 a Miacidean stock. 



Hyaenarcfos Falconer and Cautley (Fig. 94). Anterior P small, deciduous ; 

 superior 31 quadritubercular, quadrate, with wrinkled enamel and of uniform 



^ Merriam, J. 6'., An American Pliocene Bear. Univ. Calif. Publ., Geol., 1916. — Schlosser, M., 

 Die Baren des europaischen Textiars. Palaontogr. Bd. xlvi., 1899. — Parailurns nnd Ursiis aus den 

 Ligniten von Baroth. Mitteil. Jabrb. k, Ungar. Geolog. Anstalt, Budapest, 1899. 



