THE CANID^E, OR DOGS. 267 



other circumstances of the structure of this group 

 do not lead us to expect anything special from this 

 concentration of the dentition. In former times, 

 however, as we shall soon see, a most varied develop- 

 ment of new genera of Beasts of Prey began with 

 dog-like animals. 



Much more interesting for the purpose of our 

 investigation here is the Otocyon lalandii, the spoon- 

 dog of South Africa, so called from the peculiar 

 formation of the skull. Its habits show an approxi- 

 mation to the Foxes, yet as regards dentition it does 

 not show this affinity, inasmuch as it possesses 



- : - molars, and also shows the most remarkable 

 4 4 



differences in the relative size of the single teeth. 

 As already said, the spoon- dog is in many ways, 

 and as regards dentition, shaped after the fashion 

 of the dog type, and can thus scarcely be dragged 

 out of this connection, and we are compelled to 

 look upon it as a still existing primary form of dog. 

 The whole palaeontology of the Vertebrates shows 

 that the many-toothedness of Mammals is an 

 inheritance from their lower ancestors, and that 



it is a little stump which does not come in contact with the 

 opposite row of teeth, and is frequently wanting altogether. If 

 the dachshund is not forcibly suppressed as a species, its denti- 

 tion will one day inevitably be reduced by one premolar. 



