48 THE HOUSE. 



Fig. 7). The nose and upper lip are elongated into 

 a flexible mobile snout or short proboscis, at the end 

 of which the nostrils are situated. The eyes are 

 rather small. The ears are of moderate size, ovate, 

 and erect. The tail is very short. The skin is thick 

 and smooth, and covered with a short and rather 

 scanty hairy coat. 



The skull is elevated and compressed. The orbit 

 and temporal fossa are widely continuous, there be- 

 ing no true post-orbital process of the temporal bone. 

 The anterior narial apertures are very large, and ex- 

 tend high on the face between the orbits. The nasal 

 bones are short, elevated, triangular, and pointed in 

 front. Vertebrae Cervical, 7 ; dorsal, 18 ; lumbar, 

 5 ; sacral, 6 ; caudal, about 12. The teeth are In- 

 cisors, f ; canines, \ premolars, f ; and molars, f on 

 each side, making a total of 42 ; thus, one tooth of 

 the typical dentition, the first lower premolar, is 

 wanting. The molar teeth of both jaws may be 

 briefly described, as bilophodont, or having two 

 transverse ridges; brachyodont, or short crowned, 

 and without cement. 



The species of tapirs are not numerous, and are 

 all much alike in general form, anatomical structure, 

 and especially dentition, so they may be said to con- 

 stitute a single genus, Tapirus. The existing species 

 may be grouped into two sections, the distinctive 



