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Show 462 "PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ALUROIDEA. [June 6, vanishing at the 5th. Metapophyses are also developed beneath the preezygapophyses of the 3rd, 4th and 5th vertebrae, and may be traced in some of the larger Cats on the hinder part of the neural arch of the last four cervical vertebrae. The transverse processes form large osseous plates in Proteles, much as in Viverra ; nevertheless in Hyana they are relatively very small, smaller and less plate-like than even in the Cats. The Dorsal Vertebra. The greatest length of the dorsal region which I have met with is 39"*4 (Crocuta) and 38"*0 (Felis tigris). Its greatest relative lengths (the spine, from the preaxial margin of the atlas to the postaxial margin of the sacrum, being taken as 100) are 45*6 (Hyana) and 45*4 (Suricata); tbe smallest are 34*4 (Genetta) and 348 (Cynictis). The Felida I find to vary from 36*1 to 39*2, the Viverrida from 34*4 to 45*4, and the Hyanida from 40*4 (Proteles) to 45*6, as above given. Compared with the cervical region, its greatest lengths are in Arctictis and in Suricata, viz. as 238*2 and 231*6 to 100 respectively. It is often nearly twice as long as the cervical region. It exceeds the cervical region least in Proteles, where it is but 122*7 to 100. The greatest number of dorsal vertebrae is found in all Hyanida, viz. 15. I have found 14 in Paradoxurus, Arctictis, Cynogale, some Herpestes, Bdeogale, Crossarchus, and Galidictis, 13 in the other genera. The dorsal spinous processes are generally more relatively extended antero-posteriorly-more plate-like-in the Viverrida than in the Felida, especially in at least some Herpestes and in Eupleres and Suricata. In Arctictis these spines are exceptionally low and inclined postaxiad ; that of the first dorsal nearly equals in length that of the seventh cervical. On the other hand, in Hyana the difference in length between these two spinous processes is at its maximum. Generally, as in the Cat, the 11th dorsal vertebra is the first the spinous process of which begins to incline preaxiad. In Galidictis the spine of the 12th dorsal is vertical, while those of the 11th and 13th incline towards it. In Hemigalea the spine of the 11th dorsal inclines forwards, meeting that of the 10th. In Cynictis it is the 13th vertebra which first inclines preaxiad. In Eupleres and Suricata it is the 12th which so inclines, and this is the first to have the anapophyses and metapophyses distinctly differentiated. In Felis catus these latter processes are quite distinct on the 11th dorsal vertebra. In Hyana the change which takes place in the direction of the dorsal spinous processes is a gradual one between the 12th and 14th vertebrae, the 13th being nearly upright. Proteles exhibits a very exceptional character: the spinous pro- |
