. College collection of palaeontology. 28 VERTEBRATA. Lophiodons and the huge ; The scapula resembles that of a Mole. The skull is characterized by a very flat occipital bone (approximating in form the occiput of Cetacea), large nasal aperture opening above, and large suborbital fossfe, which, together with the form of the nose, seem to indicate the presence of a short proboscis. The enormous down-curving tusks are, in fact, two huge recurved incisors implanted in a prolongation of the symphysis of the lower jaw. They were retained in both sexes. " They were probably us
. College collection of palaeontology. 28 VERTEBRATA. Lophiodons and the huge ; The scapula resembles that of a Mole. The skull is characterized by a very flat occipital bone (approximating in form the occiput of Cetacea), large nasal aperture opening above, and large suborbital fossfe, which, together with the form of the nose, seem to indicate the presence of a short proboscis. The enormous down-curving tusks are, in fact, two huge recurved incisors implanted in a prolongation of the symphysis of the lower jaw. They were retained in both sexes. " They were probably useful (says Ansted) as pickaxes, enabling the monster to dig for succulent vegetable food by day, while, perhaps, at night thej^ could be attached like anchors to the banks of the river or lake in wjiich the animal habitually ; Cuvier and Kaup calculated that the Dinotherium must have attained the extraordinary length of eighteen feet. Its body, doubtless, resembled that of the Hippopotamus, being little raised above the ground, although the huge columns which formed its legs are supposed to have been nearly ten feet in length. Remains of this genus have been found in the Miocene and Pliocene deposits of Germany, France, Austria, Greece, India and Perim Island, asso- ciated with the Hippopotamus, Horse, Ox, Antelope, Ape, Hog, Dog, Wolf, Cat, Lamantin, Morse,. Sea-Calf and Dolphin—all of extinct species. This magnificent fossil, the head of the Dinotherium gigantevm, was discovered by Dr. Klipstein, near Eppelsheim, Rhine Valley, in a bed of Pliocene sand and marl, containing marine shells, and is now in the Museum at Darmstadt. Size, 4 ft. 8 in. X 4 ft. No. 44. [124] Dinotherium giganteum, Kaup. Second upper Molar, left ramus (cast). The two incisors of lower jaw excepted, the teeth of the Dinotherium are all molars, num- bering five in each ramus, and belong to the two ridged type, as in the Tapir, Megatherium, Kangaroos and Manatee. This tooth, from the Upper Mio
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