370 E. L. Troxell — Helaletes Redefined. 



which does not, however, join the frontals and nasals to 

 form an arch over the front of the face, but rather the 

 maxillary of the tapir recedes to a point well above the 

 orbit, to form the border of the anterior nares. 



Authors have postulated Heptodon Cope, as well as 

 Helaletes Marsh, as a forerunner of the tapir. Heptodon 

 is the earlier but larger form and it seems impossible to 

 derive the small Helaletes directly from it. 



Summary. 



A bold technique permitted the reconstruction of the 

 skull of the holotype of Helaletes hoops Marsh, which, 

 in its more nearly normal condition, at once showed 

 features hitherto unknown in the genus. 



A relationship to the tapir is indicated by nearly all 

 the important characters of Helaletes: the position of 

 the antorbital foramen, the rising of the sagittal crest, 

 the trend toward molariformity in the premolars, the 

 low maxillaries, and especially the presence of a pit in 

 front of the orbit which may have given rise to the 

 receded nasal aperture of the modern animal. 



