THE MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHAI^TS. 37 



to a full-grown individual. As compared with recent species it shows measurements 

 slightly less than that of an Asiatic Elephant, with the last milk and first true molar in 

 wear. I shall now proceed to describe the maxillae of the molars just referred to ; but 

 beforehand, by way of comparison between the same points in recent species, it may be 

 stated that the lower maxilla in the Asiatic and African Eleph9,nts appears to differ in 

 the following particulars : — 



1. Commencing at the condyle, we find a decided neck in the Asiatic, whereas in the 

 African the slope is continuous more or less to the angle without any sudden constriction 

 at the condyle. 



2. The outline between the angle and condyle bulges out, or is more convex, in the 

 Asiatic than in the African, where the margin is narrower ; so that, if a line be drawn 

 transversely near the base of the coronoid process, it will furnish a relatively greater 

 breadth in the former. 



3. The rostrum is more pointed in the African, and the chin and upper jaw are more 

 produced, whilst the diasteme, from being nearly perpendicular in the Asiatic, is at a 

 much lower angle in the African. 



4. The coronoid generally is more erect in the African, whilst it is higher, and its 

 apex overhangs more or less in the Asiatic, forming a concave anterior border. This, 

 however, is not constant, as demonstrated by the specimen No. 2846 of the lower jaw 

 of an African Elephant in the Koyal College of Surgeons. 



5. The dental foramen is larger and more gaping in the Asiatic, and opens out just 

 under the condyle, whilst it is situated lower down in the African. 



6. The mentary foramina are usually two in the African, and situated just below the 

 front of the tooth in wear, and invariably at some distance from the border of the dia- 

 steme, near which they are placed in the Asiatic. 



7. The symphysial gutter is generally more open and shallow in the African than in 

 the Asiatic or in the Mammoth. 



The only entire portion of the brain-case is a left exoccipital from Benghisa Gap. It 

 is almost, if not quite, identical in size, and has also many characters in common with 

 one described by Busk '. Its dimensions are : — extreme height 2 inches ; breadth at 

 the constricted part above the condyle 1-1 inch ; condyloid articular facet 1 by 0-4 inch ; 

 surface of the ex-basioccipital synchondrosis 0-6 by 0-4 inch. The cerebellar fossa 

 is very concave, with no well-marked hollow for the lateral sinus. The opening of the 

 paramastoid cells is seemingly not so large as in the Zebbug specimen, and is separated 

 from the cerebellar fossa by a ridge which slopes gradually, not abruptly as in the 

 Zebbug bone. The posterior aspect is flat, especially internally. The margin of the 

 jugular sulcus is very sharp, above which is the thickest part of the bone, it being 

 0-4 inch. The surface close behind the edge of the jugular sulcus is even, as in the 

 other, and the ex-basioccipital synchondrosis projects weU in front. With scarcely an 



' Trans. Zool. Soo. vol. vi. p. 272, pi. 52. fig. 42'. 



