THE PLIOCENE PERIOD. 331 
this period is the great “ Sabre-toothed Tiger” (AZachairodus), 
species of which existed in the earlier Miocene, and survived 
to the later Post-Pliocene. In this remarkable form we are 
presented with perhaps the most highly carnivorous type of 
all known beasts of prey. Not only are the jaws shorter in 
proportion even than those of the great Cats of the present 
day, but the canine teeth (fig. 253) are of enormous size, 
Big. 253.—A, Skull of Machairodus cultridens, without the lower jaw, reduced in 
size; B, Canine tooth of the same, one-half the natural size. Pliocene, France. 
greatly flattened so as to assume the form of a poignard, and 
having their margins finely serrated. Apart from the charac- 
ters of the skull, the remainder of the skeleton, so far as known, 
exhibits proofs that the Sabre-toothed Tiger was extraordi- 
narily muscular and powerful, and in the highest degree adapt- 
ed for a life of rapine. Species of Machairodus must have 
been as large as the existing Lion; and the genus is not only 
European, but is represented both in South America and in 
India, so that the geographical range of these predaceous 
beasts must have been very extensive. 
Lastly, we may note that the Pliocene deposits of Europe 
have yielded the remains of Monkeys (Quadrumana), allied to 
the existing Semnopithect and Macaques. 
