THE SHORT-FOOTED UNGULATES 



1147 



The American uintatheres, on the other hand, were much larger animals, rival- 

 ing the Indian rhinoceros in bulk. Their skulls were provided with three pairs of 

 bony processes, which during life 

 were probably covered with horn; 

 and the upper tusks were developed 

 into enormous sabre-like teeth, pro- 

 tected by a descending flange on 

 each side of the front of the lower 

 jaw. There were no incisor teeth 

 in the upper jaw, and the first pre- 

 molar tooth was wanting in both 

 jaws, the total number of teeth be- 

 ing thirty-four. Both feet resembled 

 the fore-feet of the coryphodons in 

 general structure, and the bones of 

 the limbs approximated to those of 

 the elephants. The brain was mar- 

 velously small in proportion to the 

 size of the skull and body, indicat- 

 ing that these animals must have 

 been of a stupid and sluggish na- 

 ture. The uintatheres are evidently 

 a specialized development of the 

 coryphodon stock, which died out 

 with the appearance of the former. 



Professor Cope, who considered that the hind-feet of the coryphodon were of 

 the same type as the front pair, remarks that the movements of this animal "doubt- 

 less resembled those of the elephant in its shuffling and ambling gait, and may have 

 been even more awkward from the inflexibility of the ankle. But in compensation 



SKUU, OF DINOTHERE. 

 (Greatly reduced.) 



THE LEFT UPPER CHEEK-TEETH OF THE UINTATHERE. 



(Three-fourths natural size.) 



(From Marsh.) 



for the probable lack of speed, these animals were most formidably armed with tusks. 

 These weapons, particularly those of the upper jaw, were more formidable than 

 those of the Carnivora, and generally more robust." In length, one of the Ameri- 

 can species was probably about six feet. 



