ITS NEAREST EXISTING RELATIONS 



45 



smooth, and covered with a short and rather scanty hairy 

 coat. 



The skull is elevated and compressed. The orbit 

 and temporal fossa are widely continuous, there being 

 no true post-orbital process of the temporal bone. The 

 anterior narial apertures are very large, and extend high 

 on the face between the orbits. The nasal bones are 

 short, elevated, triangular, and pointed in front. Verte- 

 bras — Cervical, 7 ; dorsal, 18 ; lumbar, 5 ; sacral, 6 ; 

 caudal, about 12. The teeth are — Incisors, f ; canines, \ ; 

 premolars, f ; and molars, f- on each side, making a 

 total of 42 ; thus, one tooth of the typical dentition, the 

 first lower premolar, is wanting. The molar teeth of 

 both jaws may be briefly described as bilophodont, or 

 having two transverse ridges ; brachyodont, or short 

 crowned, and without cement. 



The species of tapirs are not numerous, and are all 

 much alike in general form, anatomical structure, and 

 especially dentition, so they may be said to constitute a 

 single genus, Tcupirus. The existing species may be 

 grouped into two sections, the distinctive characters of 

 which are only recognisable in the skeleton. 



(A) With a great anterior prolongation of the ossifi- 

 cation of the nasal septum (mesethmoid), extending in 

 the adult far beyond the nasal bones, and supported 

 and embraced at the base by ascending plates from the 

 maxillae. This section constitutes the genus Elasmo- 



