BODEXXIA. 



35< 



vegetable feeders. They are divided iuto two suborders, thus 

 distiugaished : — 



Two incisors in upper jaw Simplicidentata. 



Four incisors in upper jaw (two of them small 



and placed behind the others) Duphcidentata. 



Suborder SIMPLICIDENTATA. 



Only two incisors in the upper jaw ; enamel confined to the 

 anterior surface. Anterior palatine foramina small or moderate, 

 and distinct from each other. Bony palate well developed. The 

 fibula does not articulate with the os ccdcis. Testes generally 

 contained within the abdomen, aud only descending in the rutting- 

 season, A\"hen they form a great protuberance iu the inguinal 

 region. 



To this suborder belong by far the greater number of rodents, 

 divided into the following sixteen families, of which only five are 

 represented in India. 



A. Angular portion of mandible arising 

 from lower edge of bony socket of 

 incisor. 



a. Fibula distinct ; zygomatic arch 



slender, chiefly formed by malar, 

 which is not supported by a long 



maxillary process beneatli it .... SCIUROMORPHA. 

 Skull with distinct postorbital pro- 

 cesses ; pm. ^ 1. Sciuridae. 



Anomaluridae (Africa). 

 Haplodontidae 



(N. America). 

 Castoridae (N. Europe, 

 Asia, and America). 



b. Fibula united to tibia ; zygomatic 



arch slender ; the malar rarely 

 extending far forwards and usually 

 supported by a long process from 

 the maxillary ; no postorbital pro- 

 cesses 



a'. Form slender, hind limbs greatly 

 elongate, metatarsals often uni- 

 ted ; infraorbital foramen very 

 large, rounded ; tail long, hair}'. 

 b'. Infraorbital foramen large, usu- 

 ally bigli, narrow below ; lower 

 root of zygomatic maxillary 

 process flattened 



MYIOMORPHA. 



2. Dipodidae. 



3. Muridae. 



