OCR Text |
Show 1879.] ANATOMY OF HY.BNA CROCUTA. 91 been figured, and in view of the probable wants of subsequent investigators, we have thought it right to add the accompanying drawings. An examination of these, and comparison of them with Prof. Flower's figures of the brain of Proteles, will show that, except in respect of size, and the absence of a distinct fissure in that convolution which bounds the Sylvian fissure posteriorly, the description and comparative remarks of that anatomist apply equally to the brain of H. crocuta and to that of Proteles. The hemispheres of the brain measured each 3\ inches in length; and the greatest breadth of the two together was 2-| inches. MYOLOGY1. To avoid the necessity of constant references in making comparisons of the muscles of the Spotted Hyaena, we wish it to be understood that, unless otherwise stated, the observations regarding H. striata and Cat have their source in Meckel's 'Anatomie Compared,' those relating to the Dog in Douglas's ' Myographiae Comparatae,' whilst the notes respecting H. brunnea are derived from Dr. Murie's paper previously quoted, and those in connexion with the Civet from a paper by Macalister2 and partly from our own dissections. Muscles of the Head and Neck. The platysma myoides consists of a strong broad sheet of muscular fibres, extending from the anterior half of the neck, covering the masseter and part of the mandible, and blending in front with the deeper muscles in the neighbourhood of the mouth. Inasmuch as the region of the face was unfortunately somewhat damaged prior to our dissection, we are unable to give so accurate an account of its muscles as we would wish. They appeared however, to be strongly developed, and to consist of the following :-orbicularis oris, the external fibres of which take an attachment to the margin of the lateral nasal cartilage; orbicularis palpebrarum, which surrounds the eye, and has a bony attachment to the superior maxillary bone. A zygomaticus runs from the temporal fascia in front of the ear to the angle of the mouth. There is also a strong levator labii superioris et alee nasi and a smaller levator anguli oris. Buccinator is thin. An occipito-frontalis is attached posteriorly to the temporal fascia in front of the ear, whilst anteriorly its fibres blend with those of the orbicularis palpebrarum. - Temporal.-This muscle, which possesses the ordinary attachments, is almost characteristic of the genus by reason of its great magnitude. In H. brunnea Murie speaks of it as enormous even for a Carnivore. As in H. striata and H. brunnea, so here the superficial fibres are with difficulty separable from the masseter. 1 See Plates V. and VI. 2 " The Muscular Anatomy of the Civet and Tayra," Proc. Eoy. Irish Acad. vol. i. ser. 2, p. 506. |