330 ORDERS OF MAMMALIA. 



feet (fig. 624, a) have four toes each, but these are unsym- 

 metrical (the little toe being smaller than the rest, and not 

 touching the ground), and the hind -feet have only three toes, 

 all encased in hoofs. The dental formula is — 



.3—3 1—1 4—4 3—3 



i ; c ; ipm ; m = 42. 



3—3 1—1 ^ 3—3 3—3 



The canines do not form projecting tusks, and the molars 

 and proemolars are of the " bilophodont " type, the crown of 

 each presenting two transverse or oblique ridges, separated 

 by broad and shallow valleys. The living species of Tapirns 

 are found in South America, the Malayan Archipelago, and 

 China ; and the genus appears to make its first appearance 

 in the Miocene Tertiary, where it is represented by forms 

 like tlie T. Foirricri and T. lyriscvs of Europe. In the 

 European Pliocene we have the well-known T. Arvernensis ; 

 and in the Post- Pliocene of North America the genus is 

 widely distributed. 



At the present day the genus Tapirvs is the sole surviv- 

 ing member of the Tapiridw, but we have an extensive series 

 of Tertiary genera, commencing as early as the Eocene. One 

 of the most important of these is the genus Lojjhiodon, of the 

 Eocene of Europe, which appears to have closely resembled 

 the Taj)irs in most respects, but to have possessed some 

 jDeculiar dental characters. The molars are of the " bilopho- 

 dont " type (fig. 632, a), each exhibiting two oblique ridges, 

 separated by anterior and posterior valleys or sinuses ; and 

 the piiemolars have the same general character, but want 

 the posterior ridge. The molars are thus of essentially the 

 same type as those of Tcqnrus, Init there is now one pre- 

 molar less on each side of the upper jaw, the dental formula 

 being — 



.3—3 1 — 1 3—3 3—3 



i ; c ; pm ; m =40. 



3—3 1—1 ^ 3—3 3—3 



Tlie limbs of Loinliiodon are still unknown, but sucli portions 

 of the skeleton as have been discovered are distinctly Tapiroid 

 in character. The genus has not yet been satisfactorily 



