1382 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



and the neck rather shorter and not nearly so robust. The limbs have 

 about the same proportions to the body as those of a Bull-dog, but the 

 anterior ones are shorter. The proportions of the parts of the limbs, and 

 of the fore and hind limbs to each other, excepting the feet, are much 

 as in the Collared Peccary. . . . We can thus imagine the Phenacodus 

 Vortmani as an animal of the comparatively slender build of the Bull- 

 dog, with a head and neck proportioned more as in the Racoon, and with 

 the rump more elevated than the withers, as in the Peccary. The feet 

 resembled those of a Tapir or Rhinoceros, but had an [additional] pair 

 of short toes on each foot, which did not reach the ground. To this add 

 a tail much like a Cat's in proportions, and the picture is complete. In 

 diet the animal was omnivorous, the proportions of animal food being 

 smaller than the Hogs, for instance, use. The food is more likely to have 

 resembled that of the Primates. What means of defence this species had 

 is not easily surmised, as the canine teeth and hoofs are not large." 



The species represented in the accompanying woodcut was of larger 

 dimensions ; Professor Cope stating that it was intermediate in size be- 

 tween a Sheep and a Tapir. Comparing it to an animal with an equally 

 long tail, we might perhaps take a Leopard as a fair representative. The 

 remarkable length of the tail at once shows a wide difference from all 

 existing Ungulates. Professor Cope, from the structure of the bones of 

 the nasal region, suggests that the head may have had a short proboscis. 



Other genera from the American Eocene are Proiogonia, Anac- 

 odon, and Diacodexis. The former occurs in the Puerco, and typically 

 has but one outer tubercle to the fourth premolar, in place of the 

 two of Phenacodus. Professor Riitimeyer refers to this genus teeth 

 from the Upper Eocene of Switzerland. 



Family Meniscotheriid^e. — This family is taken to include two 

 genera characterised by their lophodont dentition, which are evi- 

 dently more specialised than the preceding types. By Dr Schlosser 

 they are regarded as allied to the Chalicotheriidoz, and there are 

 perhaps indications of affinity between the European genus and the 

 Hyracoidea. The humerus is longer and less expanded than in the 

 Perifitychidce, but the number of the digits is unknown. There is 

 no marked diastema in the dental series. The typical genus Menis- 

 cotherium is from the Wasatch Eocene of New Mexico, and is char- 

 acterised by its small incisors, and the presence of two outer lobes to 

 the last upper premolar. Teeth from the Swiss Eocene have been 

 referred to this genus. In Hyracodontotherium, from the Upper 

 Eocene of France, the upper incisors are large and curved, the first 

 being especially enlarged, and closely resembling the corresponding 

 tooth of Hyrax ; the canine is small, and resembles the third in- 

 cisor ; while the fourth premolar has but a single outer lobe or 

 tubercle. Two species are known by the skull. 



Suborder 5. Hyracoidea. — As mentioned under the head of 

 the Condylarthra, the structure of the carpus and tarsus in the 

 Hyracoidea is the same as in that suborder, but the terminal phal- 

 angeals are truncated, and there is an interlocking articulation be- 



