THE MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 31 



B Series (thick-plated). — The series I shall now describe comprehends several teeth 

 remarkable for their smaU size and the thickness of their plates and enamel. 



1. The most suggestive instances have been figured and described by Falconer as the 

 last lower true molars of his E. melitensis^ . Two of his specimens (figs. 12 & 13) 

 display the fan-shape or reclinate aspect of the last few ridges, as seen in PI. VI. fig. 1 of 

 A series, and one of them a peculiarity, or rather a diseased condition of wear, observed 

 occasionally in domesticated elephants. The most perfect, however, is shown in fig. 11. 

 This long narrow and very thick-])lated molar holds eleven ridges in 4 inches. The 

 front fang has evidently been ground away, and with it not only three ridges but pos- 

 sibly part of the succeeding ; thus, allowing for their loss, it was surmised by Falconer 

 that the crown originally held twelve or thirteen ridges, in a space, 1 calculate, of about 

 5'4 inches, which brings the molar nearly to the dimensions of PI. VI. fig. 1. And also, 

 like the penultimate molars (PI. V. fig. 1), it displays a very long and narrow crowj), 

 with the plates separated by much intervening cement. Three molars equivalent to 

 the above are represented in my collection by the right and left specimens of the same 

 individuals Nos. 35 A & B (PL IX. figs. 1, \a & 2, and PI. II. fig. 10). None of these, 

 unfortunately, is entire. 



The fii-st shows a tooth in place, and the fellow of the other ramus detached. The 

 lower jaw which held them lay close to a portion of the vertebral column (PI. XL fig. 9), 

 of which two of the vertebrae are seen also in PI. IX. figs. 3 & 4. The fragment of the 

 molar No. 15 (PI. II. fig. 10) was also discovered along with the above. Whether or 

 not these molars are referable to the last of the series of a dwarf elephant, there can be 

 no question whatever as to the matured state of the vertebrae, seeing that all their 

 epiphyses are completely consolidated, as will be further noted when I come to describe 

 them. 



Eeverting to the right ramus, PI. IX. fig. 1, it is unfortunately imperfect, but 

 sufficiently complete to show that the molar extends far back near to the angle of the 

 jaw ; the septum c is M'ell seen in the figures. On the inner aspect the dental canal 

 has been laid open, showing a fragment of the triangular-shaped plug running up 

 towards its opening. The infiltration of calcareous matter into this porous osseous 

 substance, however, has considerably obscured the original character ; but no capsule 

 or hollow cavity is apparent therein, such as obtains in alveoli of all intermediate 

 teeth, even when- the crown of the molar in its immediate front is commencing wear ; 

 and considering that here only four of the last collines are entire, I think, under the 

 cu-cumstances, there should have been indications of a succeeding molar in the above 

 situation. It is impossible, however, to be positive on this point, in consequence of the 

 loss of substance. 



Eeverting to the molars, the more perfect (figs. 1 & 1 a), I calculate, holds ten ridges 

 in 4-5 inches ; it will be seen that the first disk on fig. 1 a is worn to the enamel- 



' Zool. Trans, vol. vi. pi. 53. figs. 11, 12, and 13. 



