In preparing my accounts of both living and extinct forms I have nearly invariably consulted the original authorities, and have often supplemented or verified these accounts by my own dissections at the Zoological Society's Gardens. My rule has not, however, been invariable in this matter, inasmuch as there exist two recent and trustworthy text-books of Mammalian Palaeontology—Professor Zittel's Handbuch der Palaeontologie, and Dr. A. Smith Woodward's manual, Outlines of Vertebrate Palaeontology, in the Cambridge Biological Series. Where the name of a genus only or its range, or merely one or two facts about it, are mentioned, I have not thought it necessary to go further than these two works. But a good deal has been done even since the appearance of these two volumes which it will be found that I have not ignored.
I have to thank my editors for the trouble which they have taken in the revision of the proofs and for many suggestions. To Professor Osborn, of Columbia University, New York, I am indebted for some kind suggestions. My daughter Iris has assisted me in various ways. Finally, I desire to express my indebtedness to Mr. Dixon and to Mr. M. P. Parker for the care which they have taken in the preparation of the figures which were drawn by them especially for this work.
Frank E. Beddard.
London, February 28, 1902.
CONTENTS
| Page | |
| Preface | [iii] |
| Scheme of the Classification adopted in this Book | [ix] |
| CHAPTER I | |
| Introductory | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| Structure and Present Distribution of the Mammalia | [5] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| The Possible Forerunners of the Mammalia | [90] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| The Dawn of Mammalian Life | [96] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| The Existing Orders of Mammals: Prototheria—Monotremata | [105] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| Introduction to the Sub-Class Eutheria | [116] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| Eutheria—Marsupialia | [122] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| Edentata—Ganodonta | [161] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| Ungulata—Condylarthra—Amblypoda—Ancylopoda—Typotheria— Toxodontia—Proboscidea—Hyracoidea | [195] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| Ungulata (continued)—Perissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)—Litopterna | [235] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| Ungulata (continued)—Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates)—Sirenia | [269] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| Cetacea—Whales and Dolphins | [339] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| Carnivora—Fissipedia | [386] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| Carnivora (continued)—Pinnipedia (Seals and Walruses)—Creodonta | [446] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| Rodentia—Tillodontia | [458] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| Insectivora—Chiroptera | [508] |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
| Primates | [533] |
| Index | [591] |