Vol. 59.] 



PLIOCENE CAVERN AT DOVEHOLES. 



113 



found in the Pliocene strata of Auvergne and of the Val d'Arno. 

 For the latter both Prof. Fabrini and Dr. Boule adopt the name 

 M. cultridens. For the species with the larger and serrated canines 

 from the Pliocene of the Yal d'Arno, Prof. Fabrini proposes the 

 name M. crenatidens. Dr. Boule accepts this definition, and points 

 out that the species occurs in the Pliocene of Auvergne. The 

 precise relation of this species to M. latidens of Owen from the 

 Pleistocene caverns of Kent's Hole, Creswell, and of Montmaurin 

 (Haute-Garonne) is uncertain. It is, however, probable that 

 Dr. Boule is right in looking upon M. crenatidens as the Pliocene 

 ancestor of M. latidens, the last survivor of this formidable type of 

 lion in the Pleistocene age. 



The larger of the three highly compressed imperfect upper canines 

 found in the cavern is crenulated on the anterior and posterior 

 cutting-edges (PI. VIII, fig. 1). It is identical with the upper canine 

 of M. crenatidens, as may be seen from the examination of PI. VIII, 

 fig. 1, which represents a photograph of the specimen laid over 

 the outline of Fabrini's type-specimen from the Val d'Arno. It 

 resembles M. latidens in its crenulation and broadness, and differs 

 from M. cultridens in its larger size and crenulated edges. 



A second and much worn fragment (PL IX, fig. 1) of the basal 

 portion of the crown of an upper canine is smaller, and has the 

 crenulations only represented on the inner edge by the faintest 

 traces. It falls, however, well within the limits of M. crenatidens, 

 as may be seen from fig. 1 (PI. IX), superimposed upon the 

 reversed outlines of Fabrini's type-specimen. 



The third fragment is a portion of the fang referable to a tooth 

 of the same species. 



The variations in size of canines of Pliocene and Pleistocene 

 species of Machairodus may be noted in the following table of 

 measurements : — 



Upper canines of Machairodus. 

 (Measurements in millimetres.) 



be 



a 



<v 









 



6J0 

 ft 



'El 



a 

 <p 



Is 



OQ 

 C 



Upper canine. Cave at Doveboles (PI. VIII, fig. 1) 



Machairodus crenatidens, Fabr. (fig. Boule) 



Do. do. (fig. Fabrini) 



M. latidens, Owen. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) 



Do. do. G-eol. Soc. Lond 



Do. do. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) 



Do. do. Coll. of Surgeons 



> M. cultridens. Val d'Arno , 



172 



178 

 170 



69 

 61 



69? 



78 

 100 



103 

 103 



82 



89 



84 

 100 



75 



34 

 34 

 33 

 31 

 30 

 34 

 31 

 36 

 23 



14 

 14 



i 



14 

 13 



Do. Do 



1 



