VOL. XXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 575 



as it were knit their solid extremities together, from which it is also separated 

 by an intermediate membrane at the beginning; but afterward that ceasing, this 

 lamina conjoins them at the extremities, as they are at the sides, before they 

 appear without the jaw. And thus I conceive these teeth to be formed, and it 

 is by these I am persuaded the jaw becomes so ponderous and thick ; and that 

 which strengthens this opinion is, that the hind teeth of both jaws (for I doubt 

 not but these rudimenta dentium are in the upper jaw also) before they come 

 to grind, have their upper parts semicircular ; and that both before and after 

 the grinders are formed, the lineaments of these rudimenta appear plainly like 

 so many ridges, having intervening furrows, where they formerly had been 

 distinguished by membranes :* and I suppose, though at the upper extremity 

 they are united into one compact bone, yet at their lower extremity they have 

 still the same hollownesses, for reception of the ligaments and vessels as for- 

 merly; which opinion is confirmed by Tent2:elins's account. The lower jaw 

 has 4 teeth, 2 on each side, as well as the upper, all grinders, but no incisores, 

 or fore teeth. The hind teeth are 8 inches distant, and the fore not 4, be- 

 tween which is placed the sinus for the tongue: and it is observable, that from 

 thence to the bottom the sinus is so contracted, as only to be one inch broad. 

 The hind tooth on the right side is 4 inches, on the left 5. The one half 

 of their surface, where they begin to appear, is semicircular, with the ridges 

 and sulci running transversely, 4 on the right side, and 5 on the left. The 

 other half Ras 5 of those eminences, where it grinds, and 4" on the left. Each 

 of the fore teeth is 6 inches long, and has 6 or 7 of the fore-mentioned 

 eminences, and as many depressions. The hind teeth of Dr. Moulins' elephant 

 seem to have been of an equal length on both sides, and much longer than the 

 fore teeth. It is observable, that the ridges at the sides are correspondent 

 to the eminences where they grind, and the sulci to the depressions. The 

 teeth of the lower jaw exceed those of the upper about 2 inches in length; by 

 which it appears, that the motion of the lower jaw must be very great in mas- 

 tication, and that the elephant for the most part moves the jaw from behind to 

 before; and scarcely from one side to the other, as in animals that ruminate, or 

 chew the cud. These teeth are the most firm, solid, and weighty bones of 

 any animal yet known, and are as good ivory as the tusks themselves. 



As there is no animal in proportion that is endued with a greater quantity of 

 brains than man, so there is none that seems to have less than the elephant. 

 In the one, it was so ordered by the wise Governor of all things, that they 

 might be sufficient for the generation of so many spirits, as are requisite for 



* See Mr. Corse's observations on the mode of dentition in elephants, and Mr. Home's observa- 

 tions on the structure of their teeth j both inserted in the Philos. Trans, for 1799' 



