644 Doubts respecting 



er teeth are broken in a vertical direction, we are easily able 

 to perceive that their crowns are entire ; whilst the loss of 

 the external plate of the anterior half of the jaw shows that 

 the anterior teeth are strongly fastened into their sockets, and 

 that the crown is separated from the root by a rather project- 

 ing ridge. 



The second fossil fragment from Stonesfield, considered as 

 having belonged to a mammal of the genus Didelphis, is that 

 which was described and figured for the first time by Mr. 

 Broderip, [he. tit.), which figure Dr. Buckland has repeated 

 in plate 2 of his last work, adding to it some farther details, 

 and among others an enlarged figure of the fifth tooth, con- 

 sidered as a molar. 



This fragment, which also consists of a ramus of the lower 

 jaw, is much more perfect than the first, and now forms part 

 of Mr. Broderip's collection. It is also from the right side, 

 but is perceptibly larger, being at least fifteen lines long. — 

 There is also less disproportion between its two rami, the ho- 

 rizontal one is deeper, and its edges are rather more bowed, 

 and not in opposite directions ; and the ascending ramus dis- 

 plays a large coronoid process, rounded, and much recurved 

 posteriorly ; and a condyloid apophysis, much more promi- 

 nent than in the first fragment, and exactly on the same lev- 

 el as the jaw itself. 



There is no trace of an angular process, the lower edge 

 of the jaw being continued uninterruptedly as far as the con- 

 dyle. Notwithstanding this, it cannot be denied that this 

 fossil appears to bear a very great resemblance to the jaws 

 of certain species of Mammalia. 



The number and disposition of the teeth contribute perhaps 

 still more to this resemblance. In fact, instead of a continu- 

 ous series of ten teeth occupying the entire edge of the jaw, 

 we perceive towards the obliquely rounded anterior extremity, 

 four teeth at some distance from each other, all about equally 

 conical and pointed, of which the two anterior are directed 

 forwards, while the two others stand upright; the last in par- 

 ticular appearing to incline a little backward. As this last is 

 rather higher and larger than the others, Mr. Broderip consi- 

 ders it to be a canine, and the three anterior ones incisors ; 

 it is however as little curved as they are. 



At the very extremity of the jaw, before the first of these 

 teeth, is a void space, perhaps a little longer than that between 

 each of them ; and behind the last, or the supposed canine, is 

 a much larger space, forming a complete separation between 

 this first part of the dental system and the second. 



