iiio Difference lehveen Heads (tf Mammoth and "Elephant. 



X'elty, in the prime of life; but the delight will ccafe in si 

 more advanced period, when the lervour of the imagination 

 goes oft". On tlie conlrarv, where we are governed by juft 

 principles and a thorough knowledge, they will afi'ord fcope 

 for fancy as well as judgment, they will grow into a favourite 

 entertainment, and their vigour will prevail as ftrong in the 

 evening as in the morning of life. This only can make the 

 arts truly delightful. It is not a few technical phrafes, picked 

 up from profeflional men, which may enable one to babble 

 like a parrot, that can at any time plcafe or be pleafing. 

 Science is a coy lady, and will not grant her favours without 

 being long courted. But, flioukl we alpire to no higher cha- 

 ra6ler than that of the mere critic, a fmall ftock of informa- 

 tion will fufHce; and practice will increafe confidence where 

 there is nothing to lofc. Criticilm is a lady of cafy accefs : 

 the want of meaning flie fupplies with words; and the want 

 of knowledge is reconipcnfed with cunning. She flatters all; 

 and thofe whom nature has made weak, or idlenels keeps 

 ignorant, may feed their vanity at her {hrine. 



y^XXIV. On the D'lfflreiices zchich ex'ijl hetween the Heads 

 of the JSLimmoth and Elephant. By Rem BRANDT 

 Peale, Ejq.* 



A H E drawings which accompany this (fee Plate V.) 

 are intended to explain the diHercnces between the head of 

 the mammoth and that of the elephant. The teeth form the 

 nioft ftriking charafter : thufe of the elephant are exclufively 

 graminivorous, and confcquently diftinguiflied from thofe of 

 the mammoth, which were intended for animal food of fome 

 kind, and not improbably (liell-tifli, on the fuppofition that 

 the animal was amphibious f: ^nd this may account for the 

 peculiar form and pofilion of the tufks. On examining the 

 head of the elephant, it will appear that the fockets for the 

 tufks at A are fituated, with refpeft to the condyle of the 

 neck at B, nearly in an angle of 45 degrees; fo that the 

 tiiflcs, which have but little curve, are directed downwards 

 and forwards, and may be with eafe employed ofVcnfively 

 and defcnfively. On the other hand, it will be obferved that 

 in the mammoth the focket A is nearly on a horizontal line 

 with the condyle B; and therefore the tufks, which are fcmi- 

 circular, could never have been elevated in the air, pointing 



• Communicated by the- Author- 



f Sec th« formcrnuniUr, p. 161—169 of the prtfent volume. 



backwards^ 



