AJhort Account of the Mammoth. 16^ 



and fo completely lock together : 3dly, Since, therefore, 

 they are not graminivorous, fince they cannot be of the mixt 

 kind, from a defecl in motion, they muft be exclufively and 

 pofitively carnivorous. 



Independently of the teeth, the under jaw of the mam- 

 moth difiers moft eflentially from that of the elephant, which 

 in its outline is femi-circular, from the condyle to the chin; 

 whereas in the mammoth the outline is diftimSlly angular, 

 and is much greater in the length than it is in the height, 

 which is the reverie in the elephant: beiides feveral other 

 llriking dlftinftions in both jaws. 



When the fkeleton was tirit erected, I was much at a lofs 

 how to difpofe of the tufks; "their fockets fliowed that they 

 grew out forwards, but did not indicate whether they were 

 curved up or down. I chofe, therefore, firft to turn them 

 upwards, not becaufe they produced the fame efle6t as in 

 the elephant, for it is evident they could not in any pofition, 

 owing to two circumftances. In the elephant, taking the level 

 of the teeth for a horizontal bafe line, the condyle of the neck 

 is at right angles with it; and the perpendicular, one third 

 longer than thebaic line: hence they are ufeful on every 

 oceafion, the tulks themfclves being nearly ftraight, and 

 pointing downwards; whereas in the mammoth, takinfr the 

 level of the teeth for a bafe line, the condyle of the neck is 

 fituated but a few inches above it : confequently the fockets 

 for the tuiks and the condyle of the neck are in a horizontal 

 dirc6lion : this circumftance, together with the extraordinary 

 curve of the tulks, would raife the points in the air, directed 

 in fome degree backward over the head, twelve feet from the 

 ground, and never could have been brought lower than fix or 

 ieven feet from it. This pofition was evidently abfurd : I 

 therefore refolved on reverfing them ; in which pofition, in 

 confecjuence of their twill or double curve, they appear infi- 

 nitely more fcrviceable. 



Six miles from the fpot where this fkeleton was difcovercd 

 we found two entire tulks, in form exactly like lliofc in ilic 

 ikeleton, but very much worn at the extremities (the point of 

 one I have with me), and worn in fo peculiar a manner, con- 

 fidcring their form, as could not have happened in an ele- 

 vated pofition ; unlel's on the abfurd fuppofitioii, that the 

 animal aniuled himfelf with wearing and rendering them 

 blimt, by rubbing them againll high and perpendicular 

 rocks : this in a (late of nature can never be fuppolctl, 

 whatever iiabits may be acfpiired when in a narrow conline- 

 mcnt. There can be no doubt, llien, of their having been 

 vjed atraiiili the ground, anil not iniprobablv in Icarint:; up 



L4 ' ll.elU 



