RUMINANTIA. 403 



must have resembled those of the camel tribe in shape ; 

 the scaphoid and cuboid of the tarsus were distinct also, as 

 in the Camelidce- ; and the metacarpal and metatarsal bones 

 were divided, as in the water musk-deer (Moschus aquaticus), 

 and in the embryos of all Euminants. The dentition of the 

 extinct Dichodon (figs. 130, 131) made a still nearer approach 

 to that of the Euminants. The chief distinction of this and 

 other extinct Herbivores with double crescentic molars is the 

 completion of the upper series of teeth by well-developed 

 incisors. But the premaxillaries in the new-born camel con- 

 tain each three incisors, one of which becomes fully deve- 

 loped. The Camelidce are hornless, like the Anoplotherioids 

 and Dichodonts ; and with one exception — the giraffe — all 

 Euminants are born without horns. 



Thus the Anoplotlwrium, in several important characters, 

 resembled the embryo Euminant, but retained throughout life 

 those marks of adhesion to a more generalized mammalian 

 type. The more modified or specialized form of hoofed animal, 

 with cloven feet and ruminating stomach, appears at a later 

 period in the tertiary series. 



The modification of the upper molars of the existing Eumi- 

 nant quadrupeds consists in the lower and less pointed lobes of 

 the crown, the unworn summits of 

 which are at first rather trenchant, 



like curved blades, than piercing. tf^f^Jllf^l^J II 

 They are soon abraded by mastica- 



f 



tion, and present the crescentic lobes 



of dentine (a,b,c,cl) shewn in fig. 



156. The transverse double-cres- 



centic valley (g, i) contains a thicker Fig. 156. 



layer of cement, and forms two de- IJ PP er molar of Me g aceros - 



tacked crescents in worn teetk. Tke premolars resemble in 



structure one kalf of tke true molars, divided from within, m, 



outwards. 



