EXTINCT ANIMALS 



and by the subsequent shrinking of the lower 

 jaw and bull-dogging of the bones of the face. 

 Thus the elongated mid-part of the face — ^no 

 longer supported by a long lower jaw — would 

 gradually drop as the lower jaw grew shorter 

 and shorter in successive ages, and at last it 

 would hang down as a perpendicular trunk. 



In Fig. 83 I have endeavoured to represent 

 this long-jawed mastodon (Tetrabelodon) open- 

 ing his mouth and rearing his flexible, boneless 

 upper jaw as does the living elephant rear his 

 trunk (Fig. 84). It is very difficult to form a 

 definite idea as to how the Tetrabelodon made 

 use of his tusks and horizontal " trunk." The 

 upper tusks have a sharp edge along the inner 

 face strengthened by enamel, so that it is 

 probable that, working against the tough skin 

 pads of the lower jaw, they would serve for 

 cutting vegetable matter. 



My friend Rudyard Kipling has given a 

 different account of the origin of the elephant's 

 trunk, which he declares was formed b}^ the 

 pulling of the nose of an unfortunate young 

 elephant which, before the days of trunks, stopped 

 to drink some water from a pool, and was seized 

 by an enormous crocodile just about the nose. 



120 



