32 Tooth of the Elephas Americanus. [July, 



and left a part of the tooth exposed, lying about twenty inches 

 below the surface, in an alluvial formation, resting on a base of 

 gravel. The stream has been making encroachments on this 

 bank, as I have been informed many years; and its present bed is 

 evidently removed several rods from that in which it formerly 

 flowed. The tooth is in a very perfect state of preservation, ex- 

 hibiting the laminae undecayed, and the enamel on the grinding 

 surface as highly polished as if it had just been removed from the 

 mouth of the animal. The interstrictial substance, and the bony 

 part of the lamina?, are removed about a quarter of an inch below 

 the enamel, both on the grinding and lateral surfaces. The length 

 of the tooth is twelve and a half inches — its depth five inches — 

 and the greatest width of lamina? on the grinding surface is 

 three and a half inches. The whole number of lamina? is twenty- 

 three. Of these eleven occupy five and a half inches, measuring 

 from the anterior part ol the tooth, and are undivided on the sur- 

 face. To these succeed five which are divided on the surface into 

 three parts — the divisions apparently not extending down more 

 than half an inch. The remaining laminae are divided, two into 

 five parts, two into four, one into three, one into two, and then 

 follows a single one. The divisions on the surface have a com- 

 pressed cylindrical form. The anterior part of the tooth, on the 

 grinding surface, is much worn, apparently by use, the laminae 

 being only about an inch in depth, indicating the advanced age 

 of the animal. The wndth of the lamina? varies from a quarter to 

 three-eighths of an inch, and their distance from each other from 

 a single line to a quarter of an inch. The laminse are beautifully 

 curved on the lateral surfaces. The weight of the tooth is eight 

 and a quarter pounds. No other remains of the animal have been 

 found. The water is at present too high to admit of a thorough 

 examination, which I intend to make as soon as practicable. Of 

 the result, if important, I will advise you. 



Fig. 1, is the figure of the tooth described above, reduced to 

 quarter of its size. It is evidently a perfect tooth, except that it 

 is an old one, whose roots have been absorbed. 



