Masterpieces of Science 



the skull in front of the orbit, which is not seen 

 in existing horses. 



In the earlier Miocene, and perhaps the later 

 Eocene deposits of some parts of Europe, another 

 extinct animal has been discovered, which Cuvier, 

 who first described some fragments of it, con- 

 sidered to be a PalcEOtherium. But as further 

 discoveries threw new light on its structure, it 

 was recognized as a distinct genus under the 

 name of Anchitherium. 



In its general characters, the skeleton of Anchi- 

 therium is very similar to that of the horse. In 

 fact, Lartet and De Blainville called it Paloeo- 

 therium equimtm or hippoides; and De Christol, 

 in 1847, said that it differed from Hipparion in 

 little more than the characters of its teeth, and 

 gave it the name of Hipparithcrium. Each foot 

 possesses three complete toes; while the lateral 

 toes are much larger in proportion to the middle 

 toe than in Hipparion, and doubtless rested on 

 the ground in ordinary locomotion. 



The ulna is complete and quite distinct from 

 that radius, though firmly united with the latter. 

 The fibula seems also to have been complete. 

 Its lower end, though intimately united with that 

 of the tibia, is clearly marked off from the latter 

 bone. 



There are forty-four teeth. The incisors have 

 no strong pit. The canines seem to have been 

 well developed in both sexes. The first of the 

 seven grinders, which, as I have said, is frequently 

 absent, and when it does exist, is small in the 

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