160 EVOLUTION IN THE PAST 



still living in America and in Europe (Elotherium). But these 

 were distinctly heretical pigs ; and towards the close of the 

 Period they were roasted, one and all, in the inquisition-fires 

 of Natural Selection. 



ELEPHANTS Animals of far more lordly appearance than pigs were now 

 in European forests, for thither had elephant-like creatures 

 found their way. It is interesting again to meet this form 

 of life, as its fortunes during the Oligocene are unknown 

 unless certain strata of doubtful age in the Vienna 

 basin are to be referred to that Period. It seems safer, on 

 the whole, to refer those deposits to the Miocene ; and 

 elephant-life thus reappears after a somewhat long break in its 

 history. 



It will be remembered that towards the close of the 

 Eocene Period this branch of life was represented by some 

 small, marsh-dwelling forms (Mceritherium), and also by 

 some medium-sized and more truly elephant-like creatures 

 (Palceomastodon). A notable feature of the latter was the 

 lengthened lower jaw, one of the purposes of which was to 

 afford support for the trunk in process of development. This 

 elongation of the mandible must have continued during the 

 Oligocene, for some European elephants of Miocene times 

 possessed under-jaws of enormous length (Tetrabelodon). 

 This, coupled with the fact that like their forerunners the 

 animals were rather long-necked, shows that it was possible for 

 the animal when standing to get its mouth to the ground. 

 The trunk had doubtless become longer, and had increased 

 in grasping power, but it was not, it may be supposed, 

 sufficiently developed to render the projecting lower jaw un- 

 necessary. At this stage, however, the trunk and the long 

 mandible must have been getting somewhat in each other's 

 way. And if one was to go, it was clearly the elongated chin, 

 which had served chiefly as a scaffolding. 



These animals stood rather over six feet, and were there- 

 fore about the size of the larger forms of earlier times. They, 

 however, more closely resembled modern elephants in the 

 shape of the skull. The tusks, moreover, excepting that they 

 were partly enamelled, were of modern type. 



Elephants, as now known, were not yet in existence. 



