30 Dentition and Characters 



In the species under consideration, the middle incisors are of a 

 compressed conical form, and very much produced, at first taking a 

 horizontal direction, but afterwards curving downwards in a hook- 

 like manner. Each is furnished with a spur or second point, aris- 

 ing from the horizontal portion of the tooth, and which is so much 

 developed as nearly to equal the anterior point in size. Hence this 

 tooth appears forked ; and when viewed in the recent animal, and 

 still covered in part with the muscular integuments, the points of 

 the fork might easily be mistaken for two distinct teeth. These 

 middle incisors are widely separated at their origin, but, gradually 

 approaching, touch each other soon after bending to form the de- 

 scending hook. 



The lateral incisors form a closely compacted series, the first re- 

 posing in part upon the base of the middle incisor just described, 

 and each one in succession upon that of the tooth immediately pre- 

 ceding. They are of a conical form, the first three having the base 

 surrounded by an elevated margin most conspicuous internally. 

 The first rather exceeds in size the posterior point of the middle in- 

 cisor in advance ; the succeeding ones decrease in a very gradual 

 manner, the last being small and not easily observed. 



In the lower jaw the true molars amount to three only on each 

 side, the first being the largest and the last the smallest. Each is 

 formed, as in the upper jaw, of two triangular prisms, with the 

 summits, however, in this instance, directed outwards. In the 

 third molar, the second prism is incomplete. 



The two middle incisors in this jaw present a remarkable ap- 

 pearance, being very much produced, and standing out horizontally 

 for nearly their whole length, the extreme tips only being slightly 

 bent upwards. The upper mar<iin, which forms a sharpish edge, 

 exhibits three small denticles behind the main point, and when 

 viewed in profile has a festooned or crenated appearance. 



Between the middle incisors and the first molar are two lateral 

 incisors of nearly the same form as those above, but rather more 

 pointed as well as lengthened. The second, moreover, presents the 

 rudiment of a second point, though so little obvious as scarcely to 

 deserve notice, were it not for the circumstance that in the next 

 species this second point attains a considerable development. The 

 first of the lateral incisors, which is smaller than the other, rests in 

 a great measure upon the base of the middle incisor preceding it. 

 The second, in like manner, rests partly upon the first. 



All the teeth in this species have their salient portions more or 

 less deeply tinged with brownish red. In the case of the middle 



