HIGH SCHOOL ZOOLOGY. 171 



tures of the size of rabbits, which extend from the Cape of Good Hope 

 to Syria (the coneys of Scripture), living in crevices in rocky and moun- 

 tainous districts. The toes are four on the fore, and three ou the hind 

 limbs, being all provided with flat hoofs, except the inner hind toe, 

 which is clawed. Unlike those of the higher Ungulates, the hoofs do not 

 support the weight of the body, which rests on the soft soles attached to 

 the imder surface of the other joints of the toes, and which, applied 

 sucker-like to the rocks, enable them to perform marvels of climbing. 

 Like the rabbits they have a rodent dentition, i.e., the incisors— ii — wear 

 down to a chisel-shaped edge and have growing roots, the upper are 

 curved, the lower horizontal, there are no canines and the molars 

 (pmj ml) are provided with transverse ridges. In other respects the 

 Hyrax is more nearly related to the true Ungulata, and especially to the 

 order of the odd-toed Ungulates, which we now proceed to study. 



27. Reference was made to the fact that in one of the earliest 

 fossil Ungulates the middle (tliird) toe is longer than the others, 

 and therefore contributes more to the support of the body. A 

 similar preponderance of this toe is to be observed in all odd- 

 toed( imparidigitate) Ungulates, which constitute the order called 

 on this account Perissodactyla. The first and most primitive 

 family of these is the Tapiruhe, represented by one Indian and two 

 South American species of Tapir (Tapirus). These are swamp- 

 lovinsf creatures with short smooth hair, a short tail, an almost 

 trunk-like proboscis, feet four-toed in front and three behind 

 like the Hyrax, but with a more primitive dentition, i% c]-m^. 

 Although so limited in number at the present day, numerous 

 fossil tapirs are known, as well as forms (Palceotherium, (tc), 

 connecting them with the Coryphodons, and with the Rhino- 

 ceroses which constitute the second family of the order. This 

 family (Rhiyiocerotidce) contains only a single genus with four 

 species living in India, Java, Sumatra and Africa resj^ect- 

 ively, the two former being one-horned, the two latter two- 

 horned species. In all, the skin is provided very sparingly with 

 hair, is very thick and often divided off into shields ; the horns 

 are not supported by a bony core. In the living forms there 

 are only tliree toes (viz. nos. 2, 3, 4) present, but in certain 



