418 Dr. Gotthelf Fischer's Essay on [Dec. 



Ohio, or the carnivorous elephant. It is the mastodonte of 

 Cuvier, and the mastotherium of my Zoognosy.* 



The upper part of that which Jussieu has figured, and which 

 Reaumur reports, pi. 7, fig. 17, was five inches in diameter, and 

 five inches long, although the roots were not complete. 



2. Teeth with four to Jive obtuse Eminences, and less elevated. 

 — Reaumur, pi. 7, fig. 1,3. 



These teeth, with tubercles, of the summit more obtuse, and a 

 little channelled, present naturalists with two species very differ- 

 ent in size belonging to a new genus of fossil animal. 



I have observed that property in the teeth of other species of 

 animals, and I here give the description and the figures. 



3. Dens Molaris, with aflat Summit, and Plates turned upon 

 themselves, with two principal Folds, which almost touch the 

 external Surface. — (See Plate XCIX, fig. 1, reduced one-fifth.) 



This tooth belongs to an animal unknown to zoologists. It 

 was completely penetrated with the green colour, so that it had 

 the appearance of being composed of malachite. This tooth was 

 given to our Society by M. Nikite de Mouraview, but it was 

 unfortunately destroyed in 1812 by the flames. 



4. Dens Molaris, elongated with a flat Summit, with 1 

 turned on themselves, and two Folds less deep and equally d 



from the external Surface. — (See fig. 2, reduced in the 

 proportion.) 



We do not know the animal to which this tooth belong! 

 presents a slight curvature, which in others is greater. I 

 seen some of them green, some azure blue, and others 

 partially coloured. 



Native place, Siberia, Miask. 



5. Dens Molaris, with aflat Summit, and Plates triply J 

 so that each Fold encloses one or tivo compressed Tubes Join 

 a vitreous Stibstance. — (See fig. 5.) 



A singular character belonging to this tooth is to poss 

 the principal channel a kind of stalactite of vitreous matte 

 5, 6, #,) which I have observed in all similar teeth. 



The animal which possessed teeth of this kind is unkno 

 , naturalists. 



I likewise lost this tooth by the flames, but there is a e 

 one of a veiy deep-green colour in the rich museum of the 

 rial Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburgh. One of my 

 gave me a third of the same animal, but it has only a sligh* 

 of azure blue. 



I have reason to believe that these teeth come from Mic 

 Siberia. 



* The idea of giving to all the fossil mammalia the same termination, which 

 ■Cuvier has applied to different animals, as megatherium, anoplotherium, paleeothe- 

 riuni, is at least very useful for communicating information. It has induced me to 

 change Jefferson's megalonyx into onychot/ierium, and to form the words etasmotht- 

 rium, trngontherium, pterotherium, though I am not ignorant of Linnseus's rule 

 ■which excludes such generic names. But it can no longer be followed, at least as 

 far as the great series of fossil animals without vertebra; is couceined. 



