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Show 1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ^ELUROIDEA. 135 1. On the Classification and Distribution of the iEluroidea. By ST.-GEORGE MIVART. [Eeceived January 13, 1882.] The Proceedings of this Society contain three papers, of progressively increasing importance, on the classification of the order Carnivora. The first of these is a paper by M r . Waterhouse ', wherein he proposes to divide the order into six coordinate families, named by him Canidce, Viverridce, Felidce, Mustelida, TJrsidce, and Phocidce. These divisions are based on cranial and dental characters. H e associates Arctictis with Procyon, Nasua, Cercoleptes, Ailurus, and the Bears in his Ursidce; and adds in a note, " from an examination of the external characters of Bassaris astuta it appears to m e that it belongs to this group." x\s to the true Bears, he remarks that they differ from the other terrestrial Carnivora " in having a projecting process on the underside of the ramus, and situated a little in advance of the angle of the jaw. The same character is also found in many Seals (Phocidce), which, in several other respects, appear to approach the Bears." H e expresses the opinion that "the Cats appear to bear the same relation to the Mustelidce as the Dogs to the Viverridce." A s to the last-named family, he tells us " the Viverridce have the same general form of skull as the Canidce, but differ in having the posterior portion more produced ; the bony palate is carried further back ; and the small back molar observable in the lower jaw of the Dogs is here wanting." The Hyana he is " inclined to regard as an aberrant form of the Viverridce;" adding, "in the general characters of the cranium, and especially in the curved form of the lower jaw, it differs considerably from the Cats, and approaches the Viverras. If, however, it be placed with the Viverridce, it will form an exception as regards its dentition, having only one true molar on either side of the upper jaw. The ' carnassiere' has a large inner lobe, and in this respect also resembles the Viverras, and not the Cats." The second paper I have referred to is that by the late M r . H . N . Turner2, wherein he refers to, and much further elaborates the views propounded in, M r . Waterhouse's paper, but objects to a division of the order into six groups of similar rank. H e divides the terrestrial Carnivora into three primary groups, to each of which he gives the rank of a family, namely (1) Ursidce, (2) Felidce, and (f3)Canid<n. The first family he divides into the three subfamilies Ailurina, Procyonina, and Mustelina, classing Bassaris in the second of these, and saying 3, " from the characters presented by the cranium, I do net feel the slightest hesitation in referring this animal 1 P. Z. S. 1839, p. 135. 2 " Observations relating to some of the Foramina at the base of the Skull in Mammalia, and on the Classification of the Order Carnivora," P. Z. S. 1848, p. 63. 3 Loc, cit. p. 81. |
