1. TAPiEirs. 255 



line with the middle of the inner edge of the penultimate or sixth 

 grinder in the complete series. 



Var. 2. The space between the grinders and the canines larger. 



In other respects both these skulls are exactly like the normal 

 skull of T. terrestris. 



Var. 3. With a small additional premolar close in front of the 

 base of the usual first premolar on the right side of the lower jaw. 



Hippopotamus terrestris, Linn. S. ]V. p. 174. 



Tapu-us americanus, Schreb. Saugeth. t. 319 ; Cuvier, Oss. Foss. iii. 



p. 277, t. 66-68; Blainv. Osteogr. Ongulig. t. 1, 5 : P. Z. S. 1850, 



p. 102; 1851, p. 121 ; 1859, p. 51; 1860, pp. 181, 261. 

 Tapinis anta, Zimm. 

 Tapirus terrestris. Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 184 ; P. Z. 8. 1867, 



p. 877 ; Oei-rard, Catal. Sones B. M. p. 275. 

 Tapirus suillus, A. Wagner, Schreb. Saugeth. iv. p. 777, t. 319 ; P. Z. S, 



1860, p. 261. 

 Tapirete, Marcg. Bras. p. 229, fig. 

 Tapirou I'anta, Buf. H. N. xi. p. 444, t. 43. 

 Junior. Cabani flfephantipede, Geoif. Mus. Paris; Besm. N. Diet. 



jr.iV:p.603. ^ ^ ' -^ 



The British Museum possesses six skulls of this species. Four 

 skulls are of fuU-grown or nearly full-grown animals ; one is young, 

 with only four grinders ; and another is young, with only the milk- 

 teeth. 



These skulls show that this species is found in Brazil (where it 

 was obtained by Mr. Miers), and also in Berbice and Demerara. 

 The specimen from the latter country was obtained by Sir Eobert 

 Schombiirgk. 



The skull of the younger animal, which has only the four or five 

 grinders developed (even when the other grinders are being de- 

 veloped), has the front edge of the hinder nasal aperture in a line 

 with the hinder edge of the last weU-developed grinder — that is to 

 say, the fourth or fifth, as that tooth may happen to be the last well- 

 developed one. A skull in this state is figured by Cuvier, Oss. Foss. 

 ii. t. 2. f. 2 ; but the last or fifth grinder, canines, and cutting-teeth 

 are represented more developed than they ought to be to agree with 

 our specimens. This position of the aperture has been verified in a 

 series of five skulls of animals with the teeth in five different states 

 of development ; in the adult skull the aperture is figured in its 

 proper position. 



In the skuU of the nearly adult animal, in which the last or 

 seventh grinder is not completely formed, but of a moderate size and 

 nearly ready to pass through the gums, the front edge of the internal 

 nasal aperture is in a line with the back edge of the sixth or penul- 

 timate grinder, as in the skuUs of the adult animals which have cut 

 the last or seventh grinder. The internal nasal aperture probably 

 slightly changes its place when the animal increases in age, or is 

 sometimes liable to variation. 



In the skull of an adult (perhaps rather aged) animal, which has 

 all the seven grinders well developed, in the British Museum, and 



