514 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxi. 



Cat. No. 2455, except those parts which were missing; these have been 

 restored in plaster. The lacking- foot elements have been restored 

 after a fore and hind foot of this species kindl}' placed at our disposal 

 by Dr. H. F. Osborn, of the American Museum of Natural Histor}', 

 New York City. The tail has been given the same number of caudals 

 as found in M. cuJhertsoni, a larger but closely allied species found in 

 in the same geological horizon. The vertebral formula of the species, 

 as shown hy this specimen, is as follows: Seven cervicals, 14 dorsals, 

 7 lumbars, 4 sacrals, and 19 ( ?) caudals. The vestigial clavicle present 

 in M. culherUoni and Agriochmrufi was not found with this specimen. 



This species was characterized first in a verbal communication by 

 Doctor Leidy to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia in 

 1851.^* It is the smallest representative of the Oreodonts, the skull 

 being about the size of that of the red fox. The teeth show the animal 

 to be allied to the ruminants, but it had man}^ points of resemblance 

 to the pigs, and Leidy has spoken of them as " ruminating hogs.'' The 

 stout tusks indicate that, like the pigs, the animal was more disposed 

 to tight than to run from its enemies. 



Although the skulls and bones of the Oreodonts are among the most 

 frequent fossils found in the White River Bad Lands, their skeletons 

 are not better represented in the several museums than many of the 

 more rare forms. 



Their remains have been found only in North America. 



It seems quite probable, after a superficial examination of several 

 individuals in the collections of this Museum, that there is more than 

 one species of the small Oreodonts, and a careful study of a good series 

 would undoubtedly l»e rich in scientific results. 



The skeleton as mounted is 27 inches (690 mm.) in length and stands 

 12i inches (820 mm.) high at the shoulder. 



«Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., V. 1851, p. 289. 



