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niverous animals, and seem to be designed for the laying
hold of and tearing substances. •
The bicuspides are situated immediately behind the cuspi-
dati. They were formerly called the first and second grind-
ers, but as they do not possess the true figure of the grind-
ers, and only have an intermediate resemblance between
those teeth and the cuspidati, Mr. Hunter considered them
as a particular class.
These teeth are very much like each other, and when
viewed as they are situated in the mouth, are not unlike the
cuspidati. They are eight in number ; those belonging to
the upper jaw, have the body divided into two points, one
external and the other internal. Their fangs appear as if
compressed at the sides, and resemble two fangs united, with
a depression running between them. Commonly the first
bicuspis has two small fangs, the second has seldom more
than one, but in this they are subject to variety.
The bicuspides of the under jaw are smaller than those of
the upper ; the points upon their surfaces are not so distinct,
and they have only one fang. The enamel is distributed
nearly equally around the crown, and they stand in the jaw
almost perpendicularly, and have a slight inclination inwards.
The molares, or grinders, are placed behind the bicuspi-
des ; there are three on each side of the jaw, making twelve
in the whole. The first and second molares are so much alike
in every particular, that the description of one will convey a
perfect idea of the other. The third grinder, has several pe-
culiarities, and therefore must be described separately. The
molares are the largest teeth ; they have a broader base, and
furnished with several points, which fits them for their office
in grinding food, and they have several fangs.
The molares of the under jaw have an inclination inwards