THE FOSSIL JA.WS FROM STONESFIELD. 5 



I'have observed however, in the bone itself, that the molar 

 teeth, which are, as you are aware, ten in number, are all 

 pressed closely one against another ; that the five or six an- 

 terior teeth have two visible roots ; a triangular and pointed 

 crown, with a little " talon" on each side, the anterior being 

 more acute, the posterior more obtuse ; that these latter, when 

 their outer side is shown, present a crown terminating in two 

 nearly equal conical points, with a little " talon" behind. 



The second piece of jaw is a horizontal left ramus, with 

 its inner side visible. This fragment, which is curved like the 

 jaw of the Did. murina has a high coronoid process, enlarged, 

 rounded, and bent a little backward. The condyle, which is 

 very distinctly seen, is placed a little above the dental line. 

 The angle of the jaw is prolonged into a " languette mience," 

 making an obtuse angle with the inferior line and the hori- 

 zontal ramus. One thing very important to point out, be- 

 cause it is a fact not previously verified, is, that this ramus 

 shows the opening of the dental canal, which is a small cir- 

 cular foramen, pierced a little forwarder than that of the 

 D. murina. The symphysis is entire and distinctly apparent. 

 It has a rough, oval, oblong surface, which equals in width 

 a quarter of the jaw, and which is obliquely truncated infe- 

 riorly, as we observe in the Mammalia. 



The teeth remaining upon the dental arch, are three ante- 

 rior grinders, exactly in their right place ; they are shaped 

 like those left in the other fossil jaw ; that is to say, they are 

 compressed, triangular, and with two small "talons" on each 

 side. At the base of the ascending ramus we observe a pos- 

 terior, imperfect molar tooth, out of its place, and displaying 

 two very distinct pointed tubercles. There is upon the ma- 

 trix and in front of the three teeth, an impression which ap- 

 pears to have been caused by a fallen tooth. By measuring 

 with a pair of compasses the void space comprised between 

 the base of the ascending ramus, and the teeth which are 

 still in their places, and also that occupied by the same three 

 teeth, it is easy to convince ourselves that the interval ought 

 to be occupied by five teeth ; which brings the total number 

 of the grinders to ten, as in the other jaw. 



The anatomists who are my auditors, will be able to per- 

 ceive from what I have just observed of the presence of the 

 condyle, of the form of the teeth, of the aspect of the ascend- 

 ing ramus and of the symphysis, the opening of the dental 

 canal, and the prolongation of the angle of the jaw into an 

 apophysis which is slender and compressed into the form of 

 a tongue, — that the animal which exhibits these characters is 

 sl Mammal. But that which will complete the description 



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