Mammouth. 207 



fevcral Frenchmen who accompanied me, and particularly 

 C. Fouffenguy. 



" The latter, then, can tell you, that the (keleton of the 

 mammouth does not fenfibly differ from that of the Afiatic 

 elephant but by fomc particularities in the teeth and tufks. 

 The maxillary teeth of the elephant touch each other in fur- 

 faces not very unequal ; while the upper furfaees of the teeth 

 of the lower jaw, and the inferior lurfaees of the teeth of the 

 upper jaw, in the mammouth, are fu mimed with very pro- 

 minent and pretty {harp tubercles. 



" The tuiks of the elephant have only one curve, while 

 thofe of the mammouth have a double curve. They firft 

 iflue from the upper jaw more divergent than thofe of the 

 elephant ; they then turn fo as to form part of a fpiral, devi- 

 ating more and more to the left. In a word, fetting afide the 

 double curve, and confidering each tulk in profile as if it were 

 traced out on the fame plane, the whole of the curve of the 

 tufks of the mammouth is rounded much more ; that is to 

 fav, prefents an arc of a great many more degrees than that 

 of the elephant. 



" Had a (keleton of the elephant been placed by the fide 

 of the prefent one, I mould, perhaps, have been able to re- 

 mark other differences; but thefe were the only ones it was 

 poflible for me to obferve. 



u Mr. Peale is going to mount a fecond fkeleton of the mam- 

 mouth, but much lefs complete : he intends to commit it to 

 the care of his fon, who will exhibit it in the principal cities of 

 Europe, in order to obtain money to maintain his family, and 

 to enable him to continue his refearches, which may lead to 

 other difcoveries no lefs interciting, fince it is now fullv 

 proved that there exifted formerly in America another animal 

 (till greater, perhaps, than the mammouth. This proof re- 

 mits from fome maxillary teeth and honey fragments, which 

 have nothing in common with the fame parts in the mam- 

 mouth, and which are formed on a much larger model. 



" I beg you will communicate thefe details to the Na- 

 tional Institute. Get Mr. Peale chofen a correfponding 

 member. You will not repent it. i have already prevailed 

 on him to fend his fon fir It to France; and I have promifed 

 that you will give him a good reception, and prefent him to 

 the Inftitute, who certainly will not fail to induce the firlt 

 coniul to purehafe the (keleton which Mr. Peale jun. will 

 bring with him, either that it may be depofited in the Na- 

 tional Mufeuni immediately, or after lie has been aliowed to 

 exhibit it in different parts of Europe, The (keleton which 

 4 has 



