62 GREAT GAME ANIMALS. 



Ma°mmal Thfi Mouse -? eer or The Mouse-Deer or Chevrotains, Tragulidce, 

 Gallery. Chevrotains. form a small group of Asiatic and African 



Case64* ] Section TRAGULINA. Artiodactyle Ungulates, in some respects 

 Family Tragulidae. intermediate in structure between Pis;s, 

 Camels, and Deer, with the latter of which they are often con- 

 founded. From the Pigs (Suina) they differ by the absence of upper 

 incisor teeth, and by the crescent-shaped (selenodont) structure of 

 the cusps of the molar teeth. The upper canines of the males are 

 well developed and scimitar-like (fig. 48) ; but those of the lower jaw 

 form a continuous series with the incisors, which they resemble in 

 shape. Each foot has four complete toes. In the skeleton the fibula, 

 or smaller bone of the leg, is complete; and the two middle meta- 

 carpals and metatarsals are in most cases respectively united to 

 form a cannon-bone. The skull carries neither horns nor antlers. 

 Chevrotains ruminate their food like the Pecora, but their stomachs 

 have only three compartments, in place of the four found in the 

 latter. They have somewhat the habits of Hares, skulking in 

 thick grass, from which they run with great speed when driven out. 

 Several species of the true or Asiatic Chevrotains, such as the 

 Indian Trqgulus meminna (1331), are exhibited, as well as one of 

 the African representative of the group, Dorcatherium aquaticum 

 (1334), a species inhabiting the tropical forest-zone of the West 

 and Central districts. 



[Cases The pin.iijjp firoua The Hippopotamuses, the Peccaries of 



55 ^ 7 ' 1 I v CHINA America ' and the Pi § s of the 01d World form 



the most generalised section of existing 



Artiodactyle Ungulates, known as the Suina. Their molar 



teeth have tuberculated, or " bunodont/' crowns ; and the third 



and fourth metacarpal and metatarsal bones of the feet are either 



completely separate, or are not fully united to form cannon-bones. 



Extinct forms serve, however, to connect the Suina more or less 



closely with the Pecora. 



[Cases The Hippopotamuses. The Hippopotamuses— both the species of 



8 & 670 Famiiy Hippopotami. wh j ch 1 a / e co f ned to ^ rica ' and may be 



included m the genus Hippopotamus — are 

 characterised by their massive form, the wide and squared muzzle, 

 and the broad and short feet, which have four subequal toes, 



