TEETPI OF THE EXTINCT ANOPLOTIIERIUM. 297 



TEETH OF THE ANOPLOTIIERIUM. 



Of the extinct quadrupeds with hoofs, and which were 

 consequently herbivorous, the species restored by Cuvier 

 from fossil remains discovered in the quarries at Mont- 

 martre, near Paris, was one of the most ancient. The 

 great comparative anatomist called it cmojolotlierium., from 

 the Greek words signifying " weaponless," because it had 

 neither horns nor tusks. It was, however, characterized 

 by the most complete system of dentition; for it not only 

 possessed incisors and canines in both jaws, but these 

 were so equably developed that they formed one un- 

 broken series with the premolars and molars, which cha- 

 racter is now found only in the human species. 



The dental formula of the genus Aiioploihermm is ex- 



.3- 



-3 i_i 4_4 3_3 



pressed by : i , c , p , m = 44, sio'nify- 



^ ^ 3_3' i_i'^ 4_4' 3_3 ' ^ ^ 



ing that it had, on each side of both upper and lower 

 jaws, three incisors, one canine, four premolars, and three 

 true molars; in all, forty-four teeth. 



Those teeth which are transitorily manifested in the 

 embryo state of some ruminants, as the upper incisors 

 and canines and the anterior premolars, p 1, Avere in the 

 ancient anoplothere retained and raised to a proportional 

 equality of size and function with the rest of the teeth. 

 The true molars had a broad grinding surface, with ena- 

 mel-covered crescentic lobes, remotely resembling those 

 of -the existing ruminants. In some of the smaller species 

 of anoj^lothenum, the ruminant t3^pe of grinding surface 

 was more closely adhered to, and the fossil lower jaws of 

 such species, as e. g. of the Dichobune cerviiium^ have been 



