Ilistoire Nalurelle des Mammijeres. Ml 



to the satisfaction of modern zoologists, the specific distinction 

 existing between .them, and employed to designate the former 

 the name of E. Capensis^ while to the latter was assigned that 

 of E. Indicus. M. F. Cuvier has now advanced still farther, and 

 has regarded them as the types of two genera, differing from 

 each other as much as Canis from IJywna^ or Lagomys from 

 Lepus. For the Elephant of Asia he retains the original generic 

 name Elephas. The surfaces of its molar teeth present fasciae of 

 enamel irregularly festooned ; while in those of the African 

 Elephant, the type of the new genus Loxodonta, the enamel is 

 disposed in lozenges. In addition to this striking distinction de- 

 rived from the deutary system, M. F. Cuvier also enumerates the 

 other characters which have hitherto been regarded as specific. 

 The smaller, more elongated, and less irregular head of the 

 African animal when compared with the Asiatic : the rounded 

 forehead of the former, strongly contrasted with the deep de- 

 pression in the middle of that of the latter : the ear of the former 

 also twice the extent, while the tail is only half the length, 

 &c. 



Since 1681 no African Elephant has been seen in Europe until 

 the young female figured by M. Cuvier, which is now alive in 

 Paris, having been sent as a present by the Pacha of Egypt. Its 

 habits, so far as those of a very young animal can be relied on, 

 exhibit none of the ferocity usually ascribed to it, and are indeed 

 fully as mild, intelligent, and tractable, as those of the Elephant 

 of Asia. 



The remaining novelties relate only to species. One of these 

 is a new species of Macacus, M. carbonarius^ which is closely- 

 allied to the M. cynomolgusy (Simta cynomolgos, and S. cyno~ 

 cephuliis, L.) differing from it in fact only in the black, instead of 

 tanned, colour of its face. It is a native of Sumatra. 



The Beaver of Europe, M. F. Cuvier is now disposed to con- 

 sider as specifically distinguished from that of Canada by the 

 form of its head. Viewed in profile, instead of presenting a 

 nearly uniform curve from the occipital bone to the end of the 

 ossa narium, its outline is almost straight, being inflected only 

 towards its middle ; its sagittal and occipital project strongly, the 



