scott: toxodonta OF THE SANTA CRUZ beds. 
195 
specimens naturally being selected for the purposes of description and 
measurement. Other points on the coast, such as Cape Fairweather, 
and in the interior, such as Killik Aike, have produced numerous repre- 
sentatives of this abundant species. 
Nesodon conspurcatus Ameghino. 
(Text-figure 19, p. 142.) 
Protoxodon conspurcatus Amegh.; Enum. sistem., etc., 1887, p. 16. 
Contrib. al conoc. de Mam. fos. de la Repub. Argent., 1889, p. 445. 
? Atryptherium bifurcatum Amegh.; Enum. sistem., etc., 1887, p. 18. 
Acrotherium patagonicum Merc.; Rev. del Mus. de La Plata, T. I, 1891. 
Nesodon bifurcatus Merc.; Ibid., p. 397. 
Nesodon Rutimeyeri Merc. ; Ibid., p. 401. 
Nesotherium carinatum Merc.; Ibid., p. 412. 
Nesotherium elegans Merc.; Ibid., p. 415. 
Protoxodon evidens Merc.; Ibid., p. 428. 
Nesodon conspurcatus Amegh.; Rev. Argent, de Hist. Nat., T. I, 1891, 
P- 377- 
Nesodon andium Amegh.; Ibid. 
Nesodon patagonicus (Merc.) Lydekker; Anales del Mus. de La Plata, 
T. II, 1893, p. 36. 
The type-specimen of N. conspurcatus , as originally described (Ame- 
ghino, ’87^, 16), has only the last two premolars and the molars of the 
upper jaw, the series of five teeth together measuring 120 mm. in length. 
From additional material Ameghino subsequently characterized this spe- 
cies by its small size and the rudimentary condition of the first premolar 
in each jaw (’91* 377), the latter feature alone distinguishing it from N. 
andium , as the two supposed species are identical in size. The reduction 
of the premolar is probably individual rather than specific, for the small 
teeth that follow the tusks (i-, c and p x , c and py) are very variable and 
of little functional importance. The only character which distinguishes 
the present species with any degree of constancy is its small size and 
even this may prove to be fallacious, as there is much difference in this 
regard among the individuals of N imbricatus , the smallest of which 
approximate N. conspurcatus. 
