Vol. 5] 



Merriam 



. — John Day Carnivora. 



1 1 



CYNODICTIS (?) OREGONENSIS, 11. Sp. 



PI. 2, Figs. 4 and 5. 



Canis gregarius Cope, Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terrs., 1879, p. 58. 

 Galecynus gregarius Cope, Tertiary Vertebrata, p. 917, PI. 68, Figs. 

 5 to 8. 



The specific name oregonensis is here applied to the John Day 

 representatives of Cynodictis (?) (Galecynus) gregarius Cope. 

 The .John Day form has generally passed under the same name as 

 the species from the White River. It is to be distinguished from 

 the latter by the constant presence of a posterior cusp in addition 

 to the anterior and posterior basal tubercles on P„, the larger M 2 , 

 larger brain case, less pronounced postorbital constriction, and 

 other characters. 3 . Scott 4 has already pointed out that "the John 

 Day specimens, which Cope has referred to Cynodictis gregarius, 

 have an even fuller cranium and shallower postorbital constric- 

 tion, which should, perhaps, be reason for separating these ani- 

 mals specifically from the White River forms." 



This species is represented in our collections by several speci- 

 mens. The most important of these is a mandible (No. 316, pi. 

 2, fig. 4) showing the dentition excepting the median incisors, 

 P 1; and M 3 . In addition to this there is a jaw fragment with the 

 unworn M 1 and P 4 , and several fragmentary mandibles. A frag- 

 ment of a maxillary (No. 1179) with both molars perfectly pre- 

 served may also belong here. 



In the specimens which have come under my observation the 

 characters mentioned above are constant. Compared with the 

 other species of the John Day fauna, the lower sectorial is also 

 diagnostic. The dimensions of the tooth are near those of speci- 

 men No. 10256, discussed below with N. latidens. It is distin- 

 guished from this form by the absence of the postero-external 

 tubercle on the base of the protoconid, by the more distinctly 



,1 In recent correspondence regarding comparisons of specimens at the 

 American Museum, Dr. W. D. Matthew has added the following to the above 

 mentioned characters, distinguishing this form from C. gregarius: "Skull 

 wider; muzzle somewhat wider; interorbital width somewhat greater; pre- 

 molars and carnassials slightly smaller; M 1 more quadrate internally, the 

 hypocone crescent extending farther forward around the protocone; M 2 much 

 larger. ' ' 



4 W. B. Scott. Canidae of the White River Oligocene, p. 368. 



