552 Memoir vpon U^nng and fossil Elepkanfi. 



seen with carvatures more or less strange, and in particular 

 some are spiraL Camper saw several of ihem in the British 

 Museum*, and Grew represents onef unich is turned 

 round several times ; and 1 know from M. Fabroni, that 

 there is one of this description in the Florence cabinet also. 

 They are frequently seen in the form of the Italic S, Sec. 



I. Fossil Tusks. 



It is impossible to ascertain if there have been among fos- 

 sil elephants the san)e differences as among those of India, 

 with respect to the tusks of the different sexes, and different 

 varieties, since fossil tusks are generally found separate, and 

 a sufficient number of heads has never been found to entitle 

 us to say if there were ever any adults without long tusks. 

 We are equally little enabled to ascertain the limits of fossil 

 lusks in point of smalhie^s. The small-sized tusks have 

 been little sought alter, having excited less attention amongst 

 the workmen. 



We are perfectly well acquainted, however, with their 

 limits in point of size : the large ones have never been ncg- 

 Jecled, and those who have descri .-ed them have never been 

 tempted to diminish their volume. 



I have jdrawn up a table of the largest fossil tusks, the di- 

 ir.ensions of which have been given. From this we may 

 see that they do not much surpass those of living elephants, 

 at least of the African species, 



It may be further remarked, that if elephants were allowed 

 to live their natur;il age in forests, without being hunted, 

 their tusks, growing during their whole life, would jrequir^ 

 a size much more considerable than they generally have, 



* Descrip. Anat. d'un Eleph. f Mus. Soc. Reg. pi. iv. 



TABLE, 



