382 A MANUAL OF DENTAL ANATOMY. 



bones ; they increase in size from before backwards in the 

 upper jaw, the fourth upper premolar being a well marked 

 carnassial tooth with its blade and tubercle. 



The lower carnassial or first molar consists of little more 

 than the notched blade ; but the little posterior tubercle so 

 strongly pronounced in the dog, is in the hyaena distinctly 

 more marked than in the Fclidce (cf. figs. 165 and 166). The 

 only upper true molar is the rudimentary tooth, placed 

 inside the back of the fourth premolar. 



The main feature of the dentition of the hyama is the 

 great stoutness and strength of the teeth ; they are admir- 

 ably adapted to the habits of the animal, which feeds rather 

 Tipon the portions of carcasses left by the fiercer carnivora 

 than upon those which it kills for itself, and consequently 

 bones form a large proportion of its food. 



There is a curious hysena-like animal found at the Cape 

 (of which there are often specimens at the Zoological 

 Gardens) called Proteles or Aardwolf, in which the teeth 

 of the molar series are quite rudimentary. The incisors 

 (much worn in old animals) and the canines are fairly well 

 developed ; the molars and premolars quite stunted. 



The deciduous dentition f dm. _ J is similar to the 



adult, as respects the teeth being stunted. It is a cowardly 

 animal, and is supposed to feed on putrid flesh ; it is said to 

 eat young lambs, and to bite the large tails of the Cape 

 sheep, which are remarkable for containing an abundance of 

 semi-fluid fat. 



. Felidce. The dentition of this family is singularly 

 uniform. 



. 3 1 31 

 i _ c - p _ m _ . 



Thus the molar series is reduced below that of hycena 



