164 .'A Jhort Account (if the 'MamftiQib, 



nate enough to obtain two fkeietons, found in two diftincl 

 fituations, and unmixed with bones of any other individual 

 whatever : one of thefe is prefervcd in the Mufeum at Phihi- 

 delphia, and the other is now exhibiting in the Old Academy- 

 room, Pall-Mall, previoullv to its being taken to Paris. 



The (k;Ieton of the mammoth bears fome general refem- 

 blance to that of the elephant, yet on examination even the 

 general figure is found to be confiderably ditlerent ; princi- 

 pally in the effcft of the tufks, ftru(ilure of the head, promi- 

 nence and pointednefs of the back over the (boulders, its 

 great dei'cent thence to the hips, together with the compara- 

 tive fmallncfs of the body and the nereirarilv detached efl'ect. 

 of the hind-legs — proofs of greater acSlivity than in the ele- 

 phant. On a clofer examination, the charadtenftic features 

 are greatly multiplied; and with rtfpeet to the hind-legs, the 

 idea of activity is confirmed from the ftructure of the thigh- 

 bones, which are extremely Inroad and flat, and well adapted 

 for great exertions of firength, beyond that of the elephant, 

 vvhofe thigh-bones are not flat, but round. This effect of 

 ftrength likewife prevails in the ribs, which are of a very un- 

 ufual ftruclure, being bent edgewife and having their greateft 

 thicknefs at top, gradually becoming fmaller towards their 

 junftion with the cartilage; whereas in the elephant they are 

 bent flatwife, like thofe of the ox, and are narrow at top and 

 broad at the lower ends. This peculiarity in the ribs of the 

 mammoth is worthy of particular notice, not only on account 

 of the unufual pofition of fbength, but becaufe, from their 

 diffance between each .other, they fliow the animal to have 

 had conliderable flexibility in its body; to which the breadth 

 and proximity in the ribs of the elephant, as well as the ox, 

 are a certain impediment. Befides, as T obferved before, the 

 body is coniparativelv fmaller, in confcquence of the fmall 

 length of the ribs. 



The fpines of the back over the flioulders arc of an unufyal 

 magnitude, which gives the appearance of a hump, like the 

 bifon, and are calculated to give power and motion to the 

 head. Thofe in the elephant are not fo large over the flioulders, 

 but much more fo ail the way to the facrum : confequently 

 Jiis back is more arched. The proportionate length of the 

 proccfl'esfrom ihe fpine of the fcapula difters eflentially from 

 ull other animals. And, independently of any other variation 

 in form, all the bones, of the limbs in particular, are aflo- 

 iiifhingly thick and flrong. 



We now come to the head, where the moft flriking features 

 of this animal are to be found ; and fince between the corre- 

 fponding parts of all animals there is a general analogy, it i> 



the 



