50 MR. A. L. ADAMS ON THE OSTEOLOGY OF 



5. The triangular surface on the back of the acetabulum is generally concave from 

 side to side, with well-defined borders in the two recent ; only it is more expansive in 

 the Asiatic, where the triangular space has an elevated and somewhat rounded ischial 

 side, with a small sharp pelvic border, which is not high, whereas the African is more 

 like an isosceles triangle, and is deepest towards the pubic margin, which is again 

 higher than the last and rounded, the ischial being sharp, with a gradual slope on the 

 pubic side. I am thus particular to note these seeming discrepancies ; I do,ubt, how- 

 ever, if they are regular, inasmuch as the comparison between this space in very large 

 and small pelves of the Asiatic shows considerable differences ; the data therefore are not 

 very reliable. As regards fig. 9, its characters therefore would come close to the 

 Asiatic, whereas the Zebbug bone is a good deal more in keeping with the African. 



6. Comparing the two acetabula with those of young of recent species, it will be 

 found that neither fig. 9 nor the Zebbug bone are by any means so large as those of 

 individuals of 4 feet in height ; however it is just possible that the head of the femur, 

 like the shafts of all the bones, were not only absolutely but relatively shorter and 

 broader than in other species : at all events, the owners of the above were very small 

 elephants as compared with theii' living representatives. 



VI. Scapula and Humerus. 



1. The smallest adult scapulae in my collection are represented by the fragments 

 PI. XII. figs. 2 & 2 a, and 3 & 3 a. Neither shows any indications of youth ; and, with 

 the humerus fig. 1, they were found close together in Benghisa Gap. The smaller (fig. 8) 

 is of the right side, and, as far as the dimensions of its glenoid fossa and neck are con- 

 cerned, agrees very closely with the same parts in the articulated skeleton of a young 

 Asiatic Elephant in King's-College Museum, where the third and last milk-molars are 

 in use, and the height at the shoulder about 4 feet. The girth of the neck of the bone 

 is 8 '3 inches. The outline of the fossa is broad, and oblong, like the African, and not 

 so narrow as usually observed in the Asiatic. 



A fragment belonging to evidently a smaller individual, is described and figured by 

 Busk ' as portion of the scapula of his JE. melitensis. 



2. The specimen, figs. 2 & 2a, is considerably mutilated, the spine, blade, and portion of 

 the inferior border being lost ; but the articular surface is nearly entire. The ciixumference 

 of the neck was about 9 inches. As regards comparative dimensions, the above and the 

 scapula of the disarticulated skeleton of a young Asiatic Elephant (2723 b)" in the Royal 

 College of Surgeons are nearly equal, the latter being somewhat larger. The sides of 

 the fossa in fig. 2 a are parallel, and its outline much the same as in fig. 3 a and the 

 Zebbug fragment. 



3. The portion of a right humerus (PI. XII. fig. 1) and a fragment of the centre of 



' Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. vi. p. 244, and pi. 48. figs. 23 & 23 a. 



^ The same referred to in connexion mth the atlas and other bones. 



