﻿MACHtERODUS LATIDENS. 187 



Machaerodus, since it is not presented by the teeth in the cranium found in the Pleiocene 

 strata of Auvergne by M. Bravard, and admitted by Blainville, Owen, Kaup, and Gaudry, 

 to belong to MacJusrodus cultridens, Kaup. For this reason, therefore, we consider 

 the British MacJusrodus lalidens, Owen, to be distinct from the M. cultridens of the 

 Continent. The recent discovery of a lower true molar, in the cave of Baume, in the Jura, 

 renders it probable that all the teeth were serrated. 



§ 5. Description. — The upper canines of Machaerodus are characterised by their com- 

 pression parallel to the median line, and the strongly marked serration of the ridges which 

 traverse the teeth in front and behind, and give it a sharp cutting edge, which Professor 

 Owen describes as uniting the power of a saw with that of a knife. 1 The regular curva- 

 ture of the crown and fang causes the tooth to present an outline strongly resembling, 

 according to Nesti, the crescent- shaped new moon when first appearing above the horizon. 

 The crown is thicker in front than behind (PI. XXV, figs. 3, 6), and thus possesses great 

 strength without the penetrating power of the posterior edge being impaired. Altogether 

 the tooth is the most perfect instrument for piercing and dividing flesh which is presented 

 by any of the Carnivora, and doubtless belonged to an animal which lived solely 

 on flesh. 



The general shape of the upper canines from Kent's Hole may be gathered from 

 PI. XXV, which is a copy of the plate drawn by Mrs. Buckland, and lithographed 

 by Mr. Scharf, for the work of the Rev. J. MacEnery, and kindly lent to us for 

 the purpose by Mr. Pengelly, F.R.S. In figs. 1, 2, 3, the perfect crown is represented, 

 which is now preserved in the British Museum, while figs. 4 and 5 represent the perfect 

 fang. The lower canines are proved by the lower jaw of MacJusrodus cultridens disco- 

 vered by M. Bravard, along with the perfect cranium in the Pleiocene strata of Mont 

 Perrier in Auvergne, to be very much smaller in every dimension. 3 



The incisors of MacJusrodus latidens are now only known to have been found in 

 Kent's Hole by three figures of the natural size in a lithograph which is deposited in 

 the Museum of the Natural History Society of Torquay. The accompanying woodcuts 

 have been drawn on wood from a photograph of the original, which has been placed at our 

 disposal through the kindness of the Society, and fig. 1 representing the inner aspect of 

 the left upper incisor, 3 is that which has been copied by Professor Owen. The anterior 

 and posterior ridges traversing the crown a are serrated, as in the canines, and at the base 

 of each there is a well-defined cusp, b and c, both of which points are unknown in the 

 incisors of any of the living Carnivores. The incisors of the left lower mandible repro- 

 duced the peculiar characters of the corresponding upper tooth, the serration being well 



1 'Foss. Mam.,' p. 180. 



2 M. Bravard's • Monographie,' pi. iii. Blainville, ' Osteographie,' Article Felis, pi. 17. 



