THE MALTESE FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 



49 



dorsal vertebra. There is another single facet on a head of about the same dimensions, 

 besides fragments of the bodies of ribs ; all are in keeping with the largest vertebrae. 



V. Pelvis. 



Although abundant fragments of pelvic bones were met with in the ossiferous 

 deposits, in conjunction with spinal vertebrae and long bones, showing in several 

 cases that entire carcasses had been introduced, it was difficult to obtain portions 

 sufficiently preserved for determination. For example, the femurs from Mnaidra Gap 

 (PL XIV. figs. 1 & 2) lay apparently in situ, as their acetabula were found close to the 

 heads; and the same was observed in other situations, more particularly in Benghisa 

 Gap, which produced so many remains of the smaller forms. After numerous failures, 

 however, I at last succeeded in saving the portion of a left os innominatum, represented 

 in PI. XV. figs. 9 & 9 a. It was found in the latter deposit in conjunction with what 

 had evidently been at least the greater part of a skeleton. The fissures crossing the 

 acetabulum indicate fractures occasioned during removal, and, being in a weak part of 

 the bone, have more or less followed the course of the original lines of junction of its 

 three elements. 



W^hen the above has been carefully compared with the specimen figured and described 

 by Mr. Busk' as portion of the pelvis of E. falconeri, the following dififerences will 

 appear in their dimensions. 



PI. XV. figs. 9 & 9 a. 



Zebbug ilium. 

 (Tr. Z. S. Tol. Ti. pi. 50. fig. 31.) 



Width of acetabulum (inside) 



Length of acetabulum 



Radius of cavity 



Breadth of cotyloid notch 



Width of contracted part of ilium above the acetabulum 



inches. 

 2-5 

 2-3 

 1-2 

 0-5 

 2-4 



inches 



21 

 2-3 

 1-1 

 0-5 

 2-0 



Summary. — 1. The two specimens, whilst coming close together in general dimen- 

 sions, differ pointedly as regards the outline of the acetabulum, which is nearly circular 

 in fig. 9, and ovoid in the Zebbug bone. 



2. The former differs from the latter, and apparently also -from recent species and 

 the Mammoth, in being more globular, with its sides forming a bee-hive contraction 

 towards the brim, with a beetling of the upper margin, as seen in the profile view, fig. 9a!. 



3. The cotyloid notch in the African opens by a narrow fissure on to a flat surface 

 close to the obturator foramen, the same parts being relatively larger in the Asiatic 

 and in the two above mentioned. 



4. The contour of the obturator foraaien differs in the African from that of the 

 Asiatic and Mammoth in having the largest end of the oval uppermost, the reverse 

 being the case in the latter and seemingly also in the fossils just described. 



' Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. vi. pp. 242, 264, and pi. 50. fig. 31. 



VOL. IX. — PAKT I. November, 1874. H 



