568 CHORDATA. 
The feet are plantigrade, but the toes have become 
reduced in number: there are four on the front foot and 
three behind, the third (middle) being the largest. The 
carpals and tarsals are serial, as in Condylarthra. The 
fibula is complete and has acquired an articulation with 
the astragalus. 
The stomach is slightly constricted into two chambers 
and there is a fairly large ceecum. There are also two, 
peculiar, paired, conical czeca attached to the large intestine, 
which are not known to occur in any other mammals. The 
placenta is said to be zonary and deciduate. Myrax 
inhabits rocky grounds and extends from Syria to Cape 
Colony; in the latter place it is known as the “ dasse,” or 
“klip das,” in the former as the daman. Dendrohyrax is 
arboreal and is found in East Africa. 
The recent discovery of Plohyrax in the Lower Pliocene 
of Europe (Samos) has added yet more interest to these 
extraordinary little animals. PZohyrax, known only by the 
skull, was larger than AHyrax and more generalised. Thus, 
in addition to the large median incisors there were also 
two smaller ones and a canine the latter in shape resembling 
a premolar. Hence, in the upper jaw at least, the dentition 
was 3.1.4.3. The premolars differed somewhat from the 
molars. Judging by the peculiar position of the anterior 
and posterior nares and the orbits, PZohyrax was probably 
amphibious, if not completely aquatic. As already indi- 
cated, the Myracoidea are probably an offshoot from a 
condylarthrous type which have retained many primitive 
characters. 
SUB-ORDER III.—PROBOSCIDEA. 
The elephants differ from the other Ungulata so much 
that they have to be placed at the least in a sub-order apart. 
The most important anatomical characters are these :— 
The nose produced into a long proboscis or trunk; one pair 
of upper incisors forming long tusks; molar and premolar 
teeth large and polylophodont, showing horizontal succes- 
sion; fibula and ulna complete; the carpals and tarsals serial 
and five toes present; placenta zonary and non-deciduate 
and mammee pectoral. . 
