THREE EXTINCT SPECIES OF ELEPHANT. 283 
comparison. Both bones are so much worn at either end, apparently by water-rolling, 
that no portion of either epiphysial surface remains; but the portions remoyed at either 
extremity cannot be very great, so that the length of the epiphysial shaft in fig. 58 may be 
estimated perhaps at about 3-2; on comparing which with its other dimensions it will be 
seen that the bone is proportionally much more robust than that provisionally referred 
to E. melitensis. In other respects also it differs so remarkably, not only from that bone, 
but from ali other ¢id/e of any age belonging to the Elephant that have come under my 
notice, that I think it impossible to refer these bones to that genus at all. Had the 
means existed, which unfortunately they do not in this country, it would have been 
interesting to compare these immature tibiz with those of the Hippopotamus, to which, 
at a guess, one might be inclined to assign them*. 
§ VI. Dentition. (Plate LITT.) 
The only part of the Zebbug Collection respecting which the late Dr. Falconer has 
left any written observations, beyond a few brief and scattered notes, is that which com- 
prises the teeth. 
It is well known that that distinguished paleontologist lad devoted very great atten- 
tion to the odontography of the Proboscidia, and that he assigned paramount import- 
ance to the study of the teeth in the discrimination of species. It is with the greatest 
satisfaction therefore that, with respect to the dentition of the Maltese fossil forms, I 
find myself in possession of his copious and careful notes, and am thus, on this subject, 
enabled to rely upon his great and undoubted authority. 
Although in some points I have been led to form an opinion apparently differing from 
his, yet, as I feel that all paleontologists must desire to have the actual opinions and 
verbal descriptions, as he left them, of my lamented friend, I propose to give all that I 
can find of what he has written concerning the Zebbug fossil teeth in his own words, 
and to reserve to the end, or to notes, the few remarks I may have to offer myself. I 
would also add that the figures in Pl]. LITT. have all been lithographed from Mr. Dinkel’s 
drawings, which, as they were made under Dr. Falconer’s immediate supervision, may 
be taken to convey what he deemed the more important characteristics of the various 
specimens in the Collection. 
“Among the most interesting of the Zebbug fossils is a series of molar teeth and 
fragments of tusks. The molars comprise specimens ranging from the first milk-molar 
of very young animals up to what appear to be adult teeth; and they are at once charac- 
terized, besides other differential marks, by the singularly small size of the species which 
yielded them. Warned by the great blunders committed by Nesti, Fischer de Wald- 
heim, and other paleontologists, who have been misled by the characters of milk-teeth 
to identify them as the remains of pigmy species of Elephant, I have been chary in 
* With reference to this, it should be remembered that a diminutive species of Hippopotamus still exists. 
VOL. VI.—PART VY. QR 
