314 TAPIBOIDA. 



more unequivocally decided by the evidence of a smaller 

 premolar tooth anterior to the entire one figured, (fig. 108, 

 p 1,) shewn by the remains of the posterior fang, and 

 the socket of the anterior fang, which are fortunately 

 preserved in the fragment of the lower jaw adhering to the 

 entire tooth. In the true Tapirs, both recent and fossil,* 

 only the first of the molar series has the compressed 

 modification of the crown exemplified by the tooth (fig. 

 108, p 2) ; the second presents the normal quadrate crown 

 with the two transverse ridges. In the Lophiodon, the 

 latter structure is manifested only by the last three teeth, 

 or the true molars ; the compressed form being retained by 

 all the three anterior or premolars, the first of which is 

 very small and simple, but implanted by two fangs : the 

 preserved fang and socket of the tooth that preceded the 

 entire premolar in the fossil under consideration, indicate 

 the small size characteristic of the first premolar of a Lo- 

 phiodon, and the form of a crown of the second premolar 

 in place, leaves only one other question for consideration 

 before deciding upon its reference to LopJiiodon or Tapir. 



Both the first and second of the deciduous series of mo- 

 lars of the lower jaw of the young Tapir present the com- 

 pressed, subtriangular form of crown exemplified by the 

 fossil tooth (fig. 108, p 2) ; and, though there are well- 

 marked differences in the details of configuration, it 

 might be argued that this small fossil tooth was the se- 

 cond deciduous molar of an extinct species of Tapir. This 

 objection, however, is met by the facts, that the second 

 deciduous molar of the Tapir, when its crown has been 

 as much used in mastication as the tooth in fig. 108, has 

 shorter and more divergent fangs ; and that in the same 

 extent of jaw as is preserved with the fossil, there would 



* Tapir priscus, Kaup, Tapir A vernensis, Croizet. 



