AARD VARK 



187 



This grou]) contains l»ut, one family, the Orycteropodidae, cf 

 which then; is but a single genus. 



The Aard Yark (earth-pig), genus (Jnjvtcroinis, is characterised 

 by its heaAy build, the body being covered by ratlier coarse and 

 not very abundant hair ; the snout is long and pig-like, with round 

 nostrils at its end ; the ears are long, erect, and pointed ; the 

 tail is very thick at first, so that it has been aptly described as 

 "a tapering of the body to a, point." Tlic fore-lindjs axe four-toed, 

 the hind five-toed. 



Fn!. 107. — Aard Vark, or Cajif Aiiteater. Ori/cfcropu.s rrqx'usi.^. x-j^. 



Tn the skull there is a complete though slender zygoma; I he 

 preniaxillaries, though small, are not so rudimentary as in tlie 

 American Edentates. The annular tympanic is not ankylosed to 

 the surrounding l)ones, a character found in other low mammals. 

 Contrary to what is found in Manis, Oryctcrojyus has a huge 

 lachrymal. There are thirteen dorsal and seven lumbar verteljrae. 

 The clavicle is well developed. Orycterojnis is peculiar among 

 Edentates in that the ischia do not unite with the vertebral 

 column. The femur has a third trochanter. 



As mentioned on p. 1G2, the Aard Yark is diphyodont like normal 

 mammals. The permanent teeth consist of five molars and pre- 

 molars on each side of each jaw ; the first two of these are pre- 

 molars, and are simpler in their form than the succeeding two 

 teetli, which are partly divided by a median furrow into two 

 halves. These teeth are also ])eculiar in that they consist entirely 

 of vaso-dentine. They have been compared in minute structure 

 to those of the Eay Myliolatcs. According to Mr. Oldfield 



