42 THE MAMMOTH. 



long periods of the earth's history before the mammoth 

 became their contemporary. It is better known under its 

 common name, and by that it -will continue to be called. 

 Three distinct species have been made out, viz : the E.pri- 

 migenius of Europe and Siberia, the E. Americanus and E, 

 Imperator (Leidy) of America. Dr. Leidy thinks that the 

 E. Imperator is probably the same as E, Columhi of Dr. 

 Falconer. 



II. DESCRIPTIOX. 



The mammoth surpassed the largest of existing elephants 

 in size, for it was from fifteen to eighteen feet in height, 

 and somewhat exceeded them in length. Unlike the ele- 

 phant, which it very much resembled, it was thickly cov- 

 ered with long shaggy hair, and a copious mane floated 

 upon its neck and along its back. This covering was com- 

 posed of three distinct suits of hair and wool, the longest 

 rough, black, bristle-like hairs about eighteen inches in 

 length, serving for the ruder purpose of defense ; the next 

 was a shorter coat of close set, tolerably fine hair, fawn-color- 

 ed, from nine to ten inches long ; within this lay a coating 

 of wool, of a soft reddish texture, about five inches long, 

 fitting the intervals between the other hairs, thus affording 

 an inconsiderable protection against the weather, and en- 

 abling the animal to withstand the greatest rigor of climate 

 in which it lived. Its body was heavier and legs compara- 

 tively shorter than that of the elephant. The tusks were 

 enormous, being along the curve from eleven to fifteen feet 

 in length, which, instead of projecting downwards and 

 forwards, curved quite abruptly outwards and backwards, 

 as seen in the engravings. Figures 5 and 6, while the alveoli 

 was very long. The skull was elongated, the forehead con- 

 cave, and the lower jaw obtuse. The grinding tooth forms 

 one of its most conspicuous characteristics, and very sin- 

 gularly the whole of the tooth is not brought into use at 

 once, but formed by degrees as it is required. In the 



