OK THE DISORDERS OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 99 



recesses during the passage of the food masses. It will 

 be observed that the mouth is large and can open wide for 

 purposes of prehension. The maxillary joint is so arranged 

 as to admit only of up-and-down motion of the jaws ; its 

 interarticular cartilage is rudimentary. The muscles which 

 close the mouth are stout and fleshy ; everything points to 

 the possibility of obtaining a firm, strong grip with the 

 jaws, such as is essential to carnivora and the terror of 

 burglars. 



The Teeth are suited mainly for cutting. In the full 

 mouth they are forty-two in number. Six small incisors, the 



Fig. 32. — Dog's teeth (Chauveau). 



Fia. 33. — Dog's teeth (Chattveatt). 



central of which are quite rudimentary and often lost early 

 " in life without any detriment to the animal ; the laterals 



