ON MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 187 



I am thus particular to record these facts in order to show what appears to 

 me evidence that the dwarf forms were not females or small individuals of 

 Elejjhas mnaidriensis, although the latter was, comparatively speaking, a small 

 species, and agreed, at all events, with Elephas melitensis in many important 

 particulars. Unless, therefore, a far greater variability of species existed in 

 those times than at present, after making every allowance for size and other 

 characters, I see no avoiding the inference the materials force on us, viz. 

 that there lived in the Maltese area two, if not three, distinct species of 

 elephants diiferent from any known forms. It is necessary to say a few 

 words with reference to their associated fossil fauna. In the first place, all 

 the elephantine forms have been found in the same deposits, and usually in- 

 termingled. Along with them we find bones and teeth referable to the Hi])- 

 popotamus Pentlandi and H. minutus. The former has been met with in great 

 abundance in the island, whilst only a few teeth and other portions of the 

 skeleton of the latter have turned iip. Here again we observe a great varia- 

 bility in dimensions ; indeed in this respect these two riverhorses resemble 

 the large and pigmy forms of the elephants ; and although the former have 

 been found in a fossil state in Sicily and Crete in conjunction with other 

 mammals, this is not the case with the giant dormice and large extinct swan, 

 which have hitherto tvirned up nowhere out of Malta. I may state that the 

 Reptilian remains found by Admiral Spratt and myself in union with these 

 quadrupeds and birds have not, as a whole, been critically examined ; but, in 

 consideration of the importance of the subject, 1 am in hopes of seeing this 

 accomplished soon. 



The moUusca found in connexion with foregoing represent several recent 

 species, which have been already noticed in my first Eeport for 1865. 



It must be apparent, therefore, that this (for the most part) unique fossil 

 fauna, restricted to a small mid-ocean island, presents several interesting 

 contrasts with reference to the Mammalia in general, and elephants in par- 

 ticular, which frequented Europe during late geological epochs. Eor example, 

 between Eome and Sicily we find remains of the Elephas jjrimigenius, Elephas 

 antiqims, and Elephas meridionalis. In the caves of Sicily traces of the 

 African elephant have been discovered, and also molars, barely distinguish- 

 able from those of the Asiatic species, and which, under the name of Elephas 

 armeniacus, are traceable eastward into Asia Minor, in the direction of the 

 present habitat of the living species. It looks, indeed, as if the eastern 

 basin of the Mediterranean had been at one time a common ground where aU 

 these extinct and living elephants met, and whence, with other animals, 

 they have disappeared or been repelled to distant regions. 



In fine the importance of late discoveries in this area, and the circumstance 

 that the explorations have been hitherto restricted to isolated points along 

 the shores and islands of the great inland sea, promise weU for future re- 

 searches ; indeed I might be permitted to say that if one quarter of the super- 

 fluous zeal and energy of the rising generation of English geologists were 

 directed towards the ossiferous deposits of Southern Europe and JSTorthern 

 Africa, we should not have long to wait for novelties equally interesting with 

 any yet produced. 



In conclusion, I beg once more to express my deep obligations to the 

 British Association for the valued assistance extended to me not only during 

 the prosecution of the explorations, biit also with reference to the illustration 

 of the various and interesting materials I have described at length in my 

 memoir, of which this is but a brief abstract. 



