56 ON THE MODE IN WHICH MUSKET-BULLETS BECOME 



III. ON THE MODE IN WHICH MUSKET-BULLETS 

 AND OTHEE FOKEIGN BODIES BECOME IN- 

 CLOSED IN THE IVOKY OF THE TUSKS OF 

 THE ELEPHANT. PLATE II. 



MUSKET-BULLETS are occasionally found inclosed in ivory, 

 and every anatomical museum contains specimens of this 

 kind. Why bullets should be so frequently met with in this 

 situation it is not easy to say : the head of the elephant 

 appears to be generally aimed at, and foreign bodies, when they 

 enter the tusks, instead of being removed in the usual manner 

 are retained by the process, an investigation of which is to 

 form the subject of the present paper. My attention was 

 directed to this subject by Mr. Syme, who submitted to me 

 for examination some highly interesting specimens of bullets 

 in ivory, presented to the Anatomical Museum of the Uni- 

 versity by Sir John Eobison. Sir John has also kindly 

 afforded me an opportunity of examining some remarkable 

 examples of wounded ivory, and Sir George Ballingall has 

 directed my attention to preparations in his possession, which 

 have satisfied me of the truth of those opinions on the sub- 

 ject which I shall now have the honour of submitting to the 

 Royal Society. 



One circumstance was at once detected in all these speci- 

 mens, and its importance was evident, as affording a clue to 

 the explanation of the mode of inclosure. The circumstance 

 to which I allude is, that in none of the specimens are the 

 bullets or foreign bodies surrounded by regular ivory. They 

 are in every instance inclosed in masses, more or less bulky, 



