﻿MULTITUBERCULATA. 



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the Tertiary epoch. Geographically their distribution was 

 extensive, embracing Europe, North America, and South 

 Africa. Whether they occur in South America is, however, 

 doubtful, as it is by no means certain whether the forms from 

 the Tertiary deposits of that continent which have been assigned 

 to the group are rightly referred. 



One of the most remarkable features connected with these 

 ancient Mammals is the specialised nature of their dentition ; 

 a specialisation so great that it is quite certain they could not 



Six views of an Upper Molar Tooth of a Multituberculate Mammal. The 

 two small figures in the centre of the group indicate the natural size of the 



specimen. 



have been the ancestors of Mammals in general ; although 

 this would be no bar to their having given origin to the 

 existing representatives of the Monotremes. If it should 

 prove that the Multituberculata have any ancestral relation- 

 ship to the latter, it would indeed go far towards the con- 

 firmation of the suggestion that the Monotremes are but 

 remotely allied to the higher Mammals, even if they have 

 a right to the title of Mammals at all 



As a group, the Multituberculata are characterised by their 



