VOL. XXIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 201 



As to the mechanism nature has followed in framing the teeth of this animal,, 

 it is no more than this : whereas in other animals, she has divided that bony 

 substance with which they chew their food, with each its peculiar roots, to 

 secure its articulation in the jawbone ; she has in this huge animal, for the 

 greater strength, stability, and duration of its teeth, and the better to provide 

 for a complete attrition of the aliment, in order to perfect the digestion so 

 thoroughly, as to sustain the life of the animal for 2 or 300 years, (as it is a 

 common opinion in the east) contrived to make the substance of the teeth in 

 their roots below, and in their upper parts above the gums, to unite closely to- 

 gether; and thus coalescing, form a few large massy teeth, instead of many 

 small ones. As for instance, in the human body, which is of so much less 

 size, the number of the teeth, (when the whole set is complete) is 32, where- 

 as in the large elephant, the teeth of both the jaws amount in all but to 8, be- 

 sides its two great tusks, which rather serve as horns for its defence than teeth 

 to prepare its food, and therefore I think not so properly called teeth. 



In fig. 14, EE represents the smaller grinding tooth of the under jaw on the 

 same side : its surface covered over with the same white indented work, as be- 

 fore described for grinding the food, fff are three large roots, that kept it 

 firmly fixed in the jaw bone. This smaller tooth weighed full 6 ounces. 



In fig. 15, GG represents the large grinder of the under jaw on the left side, 

 much of the size, shape and weight with its fellow, described in fig. 13. It 

 shows its roots and all its parts, with the rough protuberant white work on its 

 upper surface, formed after the same manner, and after the same strong model. 

 And indeed, if one considers it, it is plain that were not the teeth of this animal 

 made of so large a size, and of so massy and firm a substance, it were abso- 

 lutely impossible they could resist the force, and bear all that pressure with 

 which those vast muscles exert themselves, that move the lower jaw in masti- 

 cation in so strong an animal. 



In fig. l6, HH represents the smaller grinding tooth of the under jaw on the 

 same side; it is less complete than the small tooth described before in fig. 14, 

 for some of the root is wanting, and part of its outer grinding surface is broken 

 off at kk, so that it weighs somewhat less; yet what remains shows exactly the 

 same kind of work and shape as the other tooth that answered it on the 

 right side. 



The four teeth fully complete the set of the teeth, with which nature has 

 furnished the lower jaw of the elephants ; and are answered by just as many 

 more, formed after the same manner, in the upper jaw, as Dr. Moulins informs 

 us, who dissected the elephant that was burnt here at Dublin in 1 68 1. In its 



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