332 



PROTOREODON 



young. There are 

 several species. Agri- 

 oehoerus, like Oreodon 

 and primitive Ungu- 

 lates in general, had a 

 long tail. The genus 

 thus shows a mixture 

 of ancient and special- 

 ised characters. 



The most ancient 

 form of Oreodont is 

 Frotoreodoii. This is 

 Eocene, and became 

 extinct during that 

 period. It had a com- 

 plete dentition, open 

 orbit, and no lachry- 

 mal fossa. The fore- 

 feet were five -toed, 

 the hind four-tued. 



Fam. Anoplo- 

 theriidae. — This 

 family is entirely 

 Eocene in point of 

 time, and is unknown 

 outside Europe. The 

 dentition of the 

 group is complete ; 

 the molars are seleno- 

 bunodont, like those 

 of the Anthraco- 

 theriidae. The bones 

 of the carpus, tarsus, 

 metacarpus and meta- 

 tarsus are all free ; 

 the toes are four to 

 two in number on 

 each foot. Tlie orbit 

 is widely open behind. 

 The tail is long, as in 

 Xiphodon, etc. 



