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Show 1867.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE TAPIRIDiE. 879 of the American species are very incorrectly drawn; they are very unlike, and both give a very false idea of the form of the nose. It is to be observed they are some of Cuvier's earliest works, drawn and etched by Cuvier himself, and certainly not to be compared with those drawn and engraved by his humble but talented colleague M. Laurillard. Blainville, in his ' Osteographie,' " Mammiferes Onguligrades," figures :-the skeleton of Tapirus indicus (t. 1), and the details of the skull (t. 2), details of the members (t. 4), and of the dentition (t. 5) ; the skull of Tapirus americanus (t. 3), details of the members (t. 4), and of the dentition (t. 5) ; the skull of Tapiruspinchacus (t. 3), and details of the dentition (t. 5). 1. TAPIRUS. The internasal cartilage ossified just at the hinder part under the base of the nasal; foramen maximum nearly circular. Occipital crest narrow, high. Forehead small, narrow. Canines in the maxilla just behind the intermaxillary suture. The hinder upper edges of the intermaxillaries produced behind, and forming part of the upper margin of the nasal aperture. Teeth 42:-In. g . C. g . Pm. g . M. g . Milk-molars g . Hab. South or Tropical America. Tapirus, Cuv. Oss. Foss. iv. p. 293 ; Owen, Odont. p. 604, t. 96. f. 4, 5. Rhinochoerus, part., Wagner, Syst. Amph. p. 19. These animals are generally brown, with white edges to the ears. The hinder part of the back above the tail is generally more or less destitute of hair. 1. TAPIRUS TERRESTRIS. Fur short, dark brown, rather paler beneath. Skull with a high regularly arched crest over the brain-case; nasal bones over the back of the orbits elongate, triangular, acute; the front edge of the cavity of the internal nostrils in a line with the hinder edge of the sixth grinder in the adult series, or with the back edge of the last well-developed grinder in the imperfect series of grinders ; the front part of the nasal apertures contracted, and gradually tapering in width towards the front end; face rather elongated ; the space between the grinders and canines rather longer than the length of the outer edge of the two true grinders; the occipital end of the skull triangular, arched above, higher than broad; lower jaw with an arched lower edge. Var. 1. The front edge of the cavity of the internal nostrils in a line with the middle of the inner edge of the penultimate or sixth grinder in the complete series. Var. 2. The space between the grinders and the canines larger. In other respects both these skulls are exactly like the normal skull of T. terrestris. |