386 



DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF THE OX 



part. The vallate papillae are about twenty or thirty in number; they are smaller 

 than those of the horse, and are irregularly distributed on either side of the posterior 

 part of the prominence of the dorsum. The foliate papillae and the lingual fibrous 

 cord are absent. The muscles are well developed; the hyo-glossus arises by 

 additional portions from the great and middle cornua of the hyoid bone. The 

 tongue is highly protractile and is the chief organ of prehension. 



THE TEETH 



The dental formula of the ox is: 



/ 3 3\ 



2 I I-C-P-M- I 



V 4 3 3/ 



= 32 



The incisors are absent from the upper jaw. There are eight incisors in the 

 lower jaw, arranged in a somewhat fan-like manner. They are simple teeth, without 

 infundibulum. The crown is white, short, and shovel-shaped. The root is 



Fig. 284. — Incibok Teeth of Ox, Lingual Aspect. 

 C.S., Caruncula sublingualis. 



Fig. 285. — Incisor Tooth of Ox. 



S4', Lingual surface of crown; S4", masti- 

 catory surface. The crown is clearly marked off 

 from the rounded root by a neck. (After Ellen- 

 berger-Baum, Anat. fiir KCmstler.) 



rounded, and is embedded in the jaw in such a manner as to allow a considerable 

 degree of movement. There is a distinct neck. In addition to the simple numeri- 

 cal designation, the following terms are commonly applied to the individual teeth : 

 pinchers or central, first intermediate, second intermediate, and corner incisors. 

 It is probable that the latter are nmch modified canines. The incisors of the 

 ox do not advance out of the alveoli, as is the case in the horse; in old age, how- 

 ever, the gum retracts so that the roots are partly exposed and may come 

 into wear.^ 



The deciduous incisors differ from the permanent set chiefly in being much 

 smaller. The crowns are narrower and diverge more. 



The canines are absent (unless the fourth incisors be considered to represent 

 them). 



The cheek teeth (Fig. 286) resemble those of the horse in number and general 

 arrangement. They are, however, smaller, and also differ in the fact that they 



' The student will note here the difference between the structure and behavior of the 

 brachydont (short-crowned) incisors of the ox and the hypsodont (long-crowned) type of the horse. 



