The facial angle is an angle of importance in the method of skull measurement introduced by Camper, the Dutch anatomist, who sought to establish a connection between the magnitude of this angle and the intelligence of different animals and people, maintaining that it is always greater as the intellectual powers are greater. Suppose a straight line drawn at the base of the skull, from the great occipital cavity across the external orifice of the ear to the bottom of the nose, and another straight line from the bottom of the nose, or from the roots of the upper incisors, to the most prominent part of the forehead, then both lines will form an angle which will be more or less acute. In apes this angle is only from 45 to 60 degrees; in the skull of a negro, about 70 degrees; in a European, from 75 degrees to 85 degrees - reinforcing the ignorant racist hypothesis formerly prevalent among Europeans that Europeans are more advanced than negros. In another mode of drawing the lines the angle included between them varies in man from 90 degrees to 120 degrees, and is more capable of comparison among vertebrate animals than the angle of Camper. This angle though of some importance in the comparison of races, has no relationship to the intellectual ability of the individual. Research Facial Angle
Anoplotherium was an extinct genus of the Ungulata or Hoofed Quadrupeds, forming the type of a distinct family, which were in many respects intermediate between the swine and the true ruminants. These animals were pig-like in form, but possessed long tails, and had a cleft hoof, with two rudimentary toes. Some of them were as small as a guinea-pig, others as large as an ass. Six incisors, two canines, eight pre-molars, and six molars existed in each jaw, the series being continuous, no interval existing in the jaw. Research Anoplotherium
The blind mole (Talpa caeca) is a smaller mole, with a longer, slender nose, and whitish hair on the lips, legs, tail and particularly the forelegs found in the Iberian peninsula, northern Italy, the Adriatic coast and Greece. The eyes are permanently closed by a thin membrane which cannot be opened without damage. The upper incisor teeth form a V-shape with the largest, central (first) incisors being more than twice the size of the smallest, peripheral (third) ones. The blind mole is confined to mountainous areas, in contrast to the Roman and Common Moles which are both found in various habitats from the Appenine Mountains and Alps through to coastal areas. In contrast to the Roman Mole (which does not overlap with the Common Mole), the Blind Mole is generally thought to overlap in distribution the Common Mole. Like the common mole, the blind mole eats primarily earthworms, plus beetles and fly larvae, slugs, centipedes and millipedes. Research Blind Mole
Camelidae is the camels, llamas, alpacas, vicugnas and guanacos family of animals of the order Artiodactyla. Camelids are all large, the South American forms ranging in weight from 35 kg to almost 100 kg. Old World camels, however, are much larger, weighing between 450 kg and 650 kg. Camelids vary in body shape from slender to stocky, but all have long, gracile necks; a small head; and long, slender legs. The upper lip is deeply and distinctively cleft. Their toes are splayed, and Camelids are the only plantigrade or fully digitigrade ungulates. The skulls of Camelids have an elongated rostrum, a well developed sagittal crest, and a complete postorbital bar. They lack horns or antlers. The cheek teeth are selenodont. Upper incisors are present; young have three on each side, but adults have only one, which is canine-like. The spatulate lower incisorsproject forward. The canines, which are present in both upper and lower jaws, are medium- sized and hooked. A wide diastema separates incisors and cheek teeth. Research Camelidae
Carnivora is a term applicable to any creatures that feed on flesh or animal substances, but is now applied specially to an order of mammals which prey upon other animals. The head is small, the jaws powerful, and the skin is well covered with hair. Two sets of teeth, deciduous or milk and permanent, are always developed in succession, and in both sets incisors, canines, and molars are distinguishable. The stomach is simple and the alimentarycanal short, thus making the body as light and slender as possible for the purpose of hunting and springing on its prey.
The muscular activity of the Carnivora is very great, their respiration and circulation very active, and their demand for food is consequently constant. Carnivora are often divided into Plantigrada, comprising the bears, badgers, raccoons, etc; Digitigrada, comprising lions, tigers, cats, dogs; and Pinnipedia or Pinnigrada, comprising the seals and walruses. The two former divisions are also classed together as Fissipedia. The typical Plantigrada are distinguished by their putting the whole sole of the foot to the ground in walking, while the Digitigrada walk on the tips of their toes. The Plantigrada are also less decidedly carnivorous, and feed much on roots, honey, and fruits. In the Pinnigrada the body is long and of a fish shape, the fore and hind limbs are short and form broad webbed swimming-paddles. The hind-feet are placed far back, and more or less tied down. to the tail by the integuments. Research Carnivora
The chinchilla is a small squirrel-like herbivorous rodent found in the Andes of Chile and Bolivia. They are very closely allied to the rabbit, which they resemble in the general shape of the body, in the limbs being longer behind than before, in the conformation of the rootless molars, and by the nature of the fur, which is more woolly than silky; but differing from the rabbit in the number of
their incisors and molars, in a greater length of tail, and also in having broader and more rounded ears. Chinchilla lanigera a species about 15 inches long, is covered with a beautiful pearly-gray fur, which is highly esteemed as stuff for muffs, pelisses, linings, fur coats etc. The chinchilla lives gregariously in the mountains of most parts of South America, and makes numerous and very deep burrows. It is of a gentle nature, very sportive, losing none of its gaiety in captivity, and living very cleanly. Research Chinchilla
Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentoni) is a British bat with a wing-span of about 25 cm, the wings comparatively rather short and broad. The ears are well spaced, rather long and pointed, the hind edge very slightly notched and ending just in front of the base of the tragus. The tragus is narrow and half as long as the ear, widest at its middle, straight, and bluntly pointed at the tip. The first two premolars in upper and lower jaws are smaller than the rest of the teeth, and the lower incisors broad and flattened. The fur is short and extends a short distance on to both surfaces of the wing. The colour is a grizzled warm brown on the upper surface, lighter brown below, where the hairs are tipped with yellowish white, giving the under surface a distinctly lighter colour. The range of Daubenton's bat extends throughout Europe from southern Scandinavia southwards, and eastwards half-way across Asia.
In Great Britain it is generally common wherever there are woods near stretches of water, its restriction to the neighbourhood of water having gained it the name of 'water-bat.' It extends from southern England to Scotland as far as the Great Glen. The species is very gregarious, the daytime dens in caves, trees or buildings near water often containing large numbers of bats - a hundred or more; they generally creep into small crannies but are sometimes found hanging in large clusters. The food consists chiefly of ephemerid or cadds-flies of small size caught as the bat flies close over the surface of water. The quivering slow flight as the bat skims very close to the water is characteristic. The bats start foraging over the water about an hour after sunset and the flight lasts all night, until rather less than an hour before sunrise. Research Daubenton's Bat
Diphyodont is a term applied to those animals which develop two sets of teeth, a deciduous or milk set, and a permanent set - as distinct from the monophyodonts, which develop only one set. The majority of mammals are diphyodont, though the number of teeth replaced may vary: thus in man twenty teeth of the adult are preceded by a milk set; in the hare, the anterior incisors are not so preceded, but the posterior smaller incisors replace an earlier pair. Research Diphyodont
Diprotodontia is the largest order of marsupials with ten families including 117 species. They are distinguished by having the second and third digits of the hind feet fully fused except for the claws and having a single pair of incisors dominating the lower jaw, although sometimes an additional pair is present. Research Diprotodontia
The Dog (Canis vulgaris) is a digitigrade, carnivorousanimal, forming the type of the genus Canis, which includes also the wolf, the jackal, and, as a sub-genus, the fox. The origin of the dog is a much-debated question, some considering the breed derived from the wolf, an opinion which is based on resemblances of structure, the susceptibility which the wolf shows of being domesticated, the fact of the two animals breeding together and producing fertile young, and the equality in the period of gestation. But all those points are subject to exceptions and reservations which make the matter doubtful. It is generally agreed that no trace of the dog is to be found in a primitive state, the dhole of India, and dingo of Australia being believed to be wild descendants from domesticated ancestors.
Several attempts to make a systematic classification of the varieties of dogs have been made but without much success, it being difficult in many cases to determine what are to be regarded as types, and what as merely mongrels and cross-breeds. Colonel Hamilton Smith divided dogs into six groups as follows: (1) Wolf-dogs, including the Newfoundland, Esquimaux, St Bernard, shepherd's dog, etc; (2) Watchdogs and Cattle-dogs, including the German boar-hound, the Danish dog, the matin dog, etc; (3) Greyhounds, the lurcher, Irish hound, etc; (4) Hounds, the bloodhound, staghound, foxhound, setter, pointer, spaniel, cocker, poodle, etc; (5) Cur-dogs, including the terrier and its allies; (6) Mastiffs, including the different kinds of mastiffs, bull-dog, pug-dog, etc.
Dogs have in the upper jaw six incisors, two strong curved canines, and six molars on each side, the first three, which are small and have cutting edges, being called false molars; in the lower jaw are six incisors, two canines, and on each side seven molars. The fore-feet have five toes, the hind-feet four or five; the claws are strong, blunt, and formed for digging, and are not retractile. The tail is generally long, and is curled upwards. The female has six to ten mammae; she goes with young nine weeks as a rule. The young are born blind, their eyes opening in ten to twelve days; their growth ceases at two years of age. The dog commonly lives about ten or twelve years, at the most twenty. Research Dog
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Facial Angle
