il4 THE CANINE FAMILY 



and all the teeth are proportionably stronger than in 

 the dingo. 



The teeth of canidse consist, in the upper, of six 

 incisors, two canines, and six molars on each side ; 

 of which number, three are false molars, one is the 

 carnassier, and two are tubercular molars. In the 

 lower jaw there are likewise six incisors, two ca- 

 nines, and seven molars on each side ; four being 

 false molars, one carnassier, and two tubercular. 

 Of these the incisor teeth are small, in wolves 

 generally irregular and somewhat projecting. The 

 canines are, on the contrary, very strong, pointed, 

 slightly recurved, long, and those of the lower jaw 

 clasping the upper, giving mutual support in the 

 act of tearing animal substances. The molars are, 

 8S such, also but partially efficient, being tubercular 

 or false, and indicatii^g that Nature intended them 

 only for occasional trituration of vegetable sub- 

 stances, and more commonly for animal food. This 

 intention is powerfully evinced in the carnassiers, 

 both above and below, which being vertically rather 

 flat and jagged into three points, act upon each, 

 other, in mastication, with the mixed powers of a 

 saw, a pair of shears, and a bruiser ; thus serving 

 to cut through and splinter what the canines have 

 torn, the false molars have prevented from coming 

 in mass to the carnassier, and the tubercular molars 

 finally triturate more, before it passes into the sto- 

 mach. Here we have therefore a complete example 

 of the adaptations in teeth furnished by Nature to 

 effect certain ends, shewing the general but not 



