MAMMALIA. 



33 



among the commonest fossils from the Hempstead Beds Table-case 



of the Isle of Wight (Table-case 7). Several skulls have 7 - 



been obtained from the Oligocene of Eonzon, France, and 



nearly complete skeletons from the Oligocene of Dakota, 



U.S.A. (Fig. 21). Brachyodus occurs not only in Europe, but 



also in the Miocene of Egypt. Merycopotamus is found in 



the Lower Pliocene Siwalik Formation of India and Burma, 



and various skulls and jaws are exhibited in Pier-case 13 



and Table-case 7. 



The actual fore-runners of the ruminants are placed in Table-ease 

 Table-case 8. They show (1) the gradual acquisition of the 8> 

 typical " selenodont " molar teeth, (2) the beginning of the 



Fig. 22. — Eight upper teeth of Anoplotherium cayluxense, from the Oligo- 

 cene Phosphorites of Prance ; nat. size. (Table-case 8.) 



Pig. 23. — Right upper teeth of immature Anoplotherium secundwrium 

 from the Upper Eocene of Debruge, France; nat. size. (Table- 

 case 8.) 



gap ("diastema") between the front teeth and the back 

 teeth, and (3) the gradual fusion of the bases of the two 

 supporting toes. In the Anoplotheriidse, which are well 

 represented by Anoplotherium from the Upper Eocene of 

 France, England, and Germany, the crescent-shaped tooth- 

 cusps are low (Figs. 22, 23), the teeth are in a continuous 

 row in the jaw without any gap, and there are three well- 

 developed toes on each foot. The name Anoplotherium 

 ("unarmed beast") was proposed by Cuvier, who first 

 described the animal and was impressed by its complete 

 lack of defensive weapons. The Csenotheriidse are smaller 

 four-toed animals, from the European Oligocene and Lower 



D 



