﻿FELIS SPELtEA. 97 



some specimens into flat diapophyses, which are represented by small flat tubercles on the 

 three next vertebrae. On the first there is a rudiment of a neural spine, which subsides into 

 a slight ridge on the rest. Hypapophysial tubercles appear on the ventral aspect of the 

 anterior end of the second vertebra, and are continued on the rest to the end of the tail; 

 corresponding tubercles also appear on the distal end also ; these support in the living 

 Peles on a variable number of the anterior caudals, small, triangular or rather boat- 

 shaped bones, the caudal haemapophyses, none of which have occurred to us in a fossil state. 



These first five are distinguished from each other by the increasing length of the centra, 

 the diminution of the neural arch, and of the size of the zygapophyses, as well as by the more 

 circular form of the anterior epiphyses, each of these characteristics becoming more marked 

 distally. 



Of these vertebrae we have one third, one fourth, and two fifths, all from Bleadon, and 

 one fifth from Sandford Hill. They are all rather larger than the corresponding vertebra? 

 of average Lion, but offer no other distinguishing mark ; the above general description 

 will, therefore, suffice. We have figured the fourth (PI. XVI, figs. 4, 4'). It will give a 

 fair idea of the general form of these vertebrae, keeping in mind the differences indicated 

 above, and the fact that the anterior zygapophyses and epiphyses are worn, and the post- 

 zygapophyses lost. It is the first of a series, which, with the exception, perhaps, of the 

 seventh, eleventh, and thirteenth, reaches to the fourteenth, and so closely correspond in 

 size, condition, and character, that they may have all belonged to one animal. 



The next three, or the first exserted vertebrae, form also a series ; they differ from 

 the first five in the greater length of the centra, the section being more or less circular 

 anteriorly, and elliptical distally, with epiphyses highly convex ; the neurapophyses are 

 very short, and the neural canal correspondingly small, the metapophyses are more at 

 right angles to the centrum, and less divergent vertically than on the first five, and the 

 prezygapophyses are very small, and project less forwards, the articulations of these are 

 also very small, and disappear on the eighth, the postzygapophyses are also minute and 

 project less on each succeeding vertebra, till on the eighth they do not extend beyond the 

 distal epiphysis. The notch over the neural canal between the pre-zygapophyses becomes 

 longer, and exposes more of the neural canal distally. This appears to be more the case 

 in the young than in the old animals. 



Plat diapophysial tubercles are developed on the sixth vertebra, and are continued to 

 the end of the tail, the anapophyses become smaller, and gradually subside to very small 

 tubercles on the most distal vertebrae. The hypapophysial tubercles are very distinct ante- 

 riorly on the ventral surface of the centra. 



We have met with three of the sixth, three of the seventh, three of the eighth, from 

 Bleadon, and two from Sandford Hill, one of the latter being that of a young adult animal, 

 the epiphyses being not yet firmly anchylosed. We have figured a seventh caudal from 

 Bleadon, a perfect specimen of very large size (PI. XIV, figs. 3, 3', 3", 3'"). We are doubtful 

 about an imperfect seventh belonging to the series mentioned above, because of its large size. 



