THREE EXTINCT SPECIES OF ELEPHANT. 285 
“2. Permanent Incisors.—The collection contains numerous fragments of Elephants’ 
tusks, for the most part amorphous pieces or splinters of the outer layers, many of them 
bearing distinct marks of having been gnawed, but indicating tusks of very considerable 
diameter and out of all proportion to the small Zebbug molars. These fragments, which 
appear to indicate another and larger species of fossil Elephant, will be noticed in the 
sequel. 
“There is only one determinable specimen which will admit of being referred to the 
smaller form, and that only conjecturally. It consists of a portion of the distal end of 
a slightly curved tusk, about 5 inches in length. The greater part of the outer layer, 
which is weathered of a greyish tint, has disappeared by dislamination. The but-end 
yields a round section slightly compressed at the sides. The outer layer is smooth, and 
throughout a line of thickness shows no appearance of engine-turning. Beneath it the 
ivory surface is very distinctly channelled longitudinally and regularly; and thus the 
section inwards to the cone exhibits very distinct engine-turning, more pronounced even 
than is commonly seen in proboscidian tusks, the inequalities being nearly as marked as 
in a tailor’s thimble. ‘The specimen tapers to aconical point. ‘The dimensions are :— 
enethwess sa2 eee. 5-0 
IBteendlee ssa ace aeons Ey alualt 
This tusk would correspond in size with the true molars of the Malta form*. 
very closely, both in size and proportion, with the Maltese fossil. This circumstance may perhaps render it 
doubtful whether the latter really belongs to either of the dwarf Elephants, and may not rather belong to the 
largest extinct form. 
* Jt is a rather curious circumstance that the specimen above described by Dr. Falconer, and which, from some 
words which I have omitted, he seems either to have had or to have intended to have figured, was not to be 
found in Captain Spratt’s collection when it came into my hands; nor is there any figure of it to be found. 
But, strangely enough, another permanent tusk of precisely corresponding dimensions, and with a ticket upon it in 
Dr. Faleoner’s handwriting, “ Zlephas melitensis, tusk, Zebbug Cave,” is in the collection; it is the one figured 
in Pl. LIL. fig. 48. The specimen, as will be seen, is far more perfect than that described by Dr. Falconer ; 
but in dimensions and all other characters (excepting colour, which is mottled with brown and black instead of 
being “grey ”) the two so fully accord that we might almost suppose that the missing specimen and the one ex- 
tant in the collection may have belonged to the same individual. It is true that the specimen figured in Pl. LI. 
has been broken across ; but the fracture, instead of five, is more than seven inches from the truncated extremity, 
and probably fully eight inches from the entire conical point, which is stated to have existed in the missing 
specimen. And it should be noted that the fractured surface at the apex is not a recent one ; so that the speci- 
men cannot be the one described by Dr. Falconer with the point subsequently broken off. In the presence, 
therefore, of this more complete specimen of an obviously similar tusk, the loss of the one described by Dr. Falconer 
will be the less felt. In the existing specimen the outer layers, as will be seen in the figure, are detached 
towards the point, exposing a subjacent surface very strongly sulcate ; and at the fractured end the coarse 
engine-turning described by Dr. Falconer is plainly visible. The diameters of the tusk, at the distance of 5 inches 
from the estimated real point, are 1-1 x 1", or very nearly the same as those given by Dr. Falconer, whilst an 
inch or so lower down they exactly correspond, viz. 1-15 x 1'"1; and this is the greatest diameter down to the 
alveolar end, the maximum circumference being 3!-5. The extreme length of the specimen measured along the 
outside curve is about 10'-5, to which may be added, to complete the point in its natural state, about another 
2R2 
