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Show 372 DR. ST. G. MIVART ON THE ARCTOIDEA. [Apr. 21, external ears are very little developed. The snout is truncated, the nostrils opening forwards, not downwards. The feet are broad, with wholly naked soles. The tail is shorter and more closely haired than in Mephitis. It is very variable in colour. There are 16 dorsal, 4 lumbar, 3 sacral, and 18 caudal vertebrae. The pelvic limb is longer compared with the spine than in any other Arctoid except Procyon and some Bears. The first lower true molar is longer compared with the length of the skull than in any other Arctoid. In the form of the skull and teeth Conepatus closely resembles Mephitis. The auditory bulla is rounded, apparently undivided internally, and most prominent towards the centre of the basis cranii. The foramen condyloideum is conspicuous, but is placed far forwards and close to the large foramen lacerum posterius. There is a conspicuous carotid foramen, just behind the middle of the inner margin of the bulla. The glenoid foramen is just above the auditory meatus, which inclines forwards. There is a rather marked paroccipital process, which is quite away from the bulla and prominent mastoid process, the latter depending quite to the level of the floor of the meatus, if not below it. No ridge quite connects the paroccipital and mastoid processes. The zygoma is delicate and weak, and bears no postorbital process, while that of the frontal is only a slight rounded prominence. The cranium is long and the muzzle short. Sagittal ridge present or absent. There is a moderate single or supraorbital foramen or two small foramina. The posterior palatine foramina are placed in the front half of the palate. The palate is broad and flat, and extends decidedly, though not much, backwards behind the hinder molars. The angle of the mandible is marked and is not pressed upwards. The canines are very small. Molar formula=P. f, M . \. The third upper premolar is small and triangular. The fourth has a large middle and posterior outer cusp, and a very small anterior outer cusp and a large internal cusp. The functional surface of the tooth is triangular, broader behind than in front. The first upper molar is large and quadrate, with a surface formed on the type of that of the Badger. There appear to be four principal cusps, whereof the two posterior are the smaller. There are also one or two small cusps on the external cingulum, and there is a well-developed ridge-like internal cingulum. It is larger compared with the fourth premolar than in Mephitis. The second inferior premolar is very small. The third and fourth have each one considerable median cusp with a small cusp on either side of it. The first inferior molar has a single front cusp, followed by two, one internal and one external. Behind them is a talon, which constitutes half the tooth or even more. The second inferior true molar is small and rounded. Mellivora \ - T h e genus Mellivora is the first genus of Arctoids 1 See Shaw Zool. i. p. 470 (1800); Fischer, Syn. Mam. p. 151; Hardwick, Linn. Trans, ix. p. 115, pi. 9 ; Bennett, Zool. Gard. p. 13 ; De Blainville, Osteologie, Mustela, Desin. Mam. p. 176; Schreber. S.aug. p. 450, pi. 135 ; Sunde- |