THE MALTESE EOSSIL ELEPHANTS. 23 



There is central expansion and angulation, with irregular crimping in newly invaded, 

 and fine crimping on the cement-side of the well-worn disk. 



Summary. — In the first place, from what has just and previously been stated, with 

 respect to the molars I have assigned to the position of penultimate milk-molars, it 

 seems to me evident that none of the foregoing can be referred to a more youthful 

 condition than the last of the milk-series. Before, however, attempting to classify 

 these complex varieties of molars, we must bear well in mind that there is a wide 

 individual difference, as regards size, between specimens of last milk and first true 

 molars in all known species of elephants. I find among the materials in the British 

 Museum, and the fine collection of molars of the Asiatic Elephant in the Royal College 

 of Surgeons, that this difference is remarkable. In the paleeontological collection of the 

 British Museum there are specimens of the last milk-molar of the Mammoth, holding 

 the same number of ridges, with full}- one inch difference in length ; indeed, as stated 

 by Falconer, " often the antepenultimate true molar of a large variety may be nearly as 

 large as the penultimate of a small one"'. Therefore slight differences in size, other 

 points being equal, must be received with considerable caution. 



1. Reverting to the fragments of jaws (PI. II. figs. 1 & 2) containing the penultimate and 

 germs of the last milk-teeth, I find that the collines of the latter in both rami are slightly 

 longer and broader than the largest plates of A Series, but agree exactly with those of B 

 Series. Now, with reference to the members of A Series, although differing perceptibly 

 in dimensions from B Series, they all maintain the same ridge-formula, the same crown- 

 pattern, and thickness of plates ; in fact they are distinct only as regards size. If a 

 comparison between the upper molars Nos. 45 & 18 (PI. I. figs. 10 & 11) is made, it 

 will be found that their relative lengths are 2 and 2-8 inches ; and the last lower molar of 

 Falconer' and No. 44 (PI. IV. fig. 3) give proportional lengths of 2-3 to 3 inches, which 

 will be found by no means remarkable individual differences between teeth holduig 

 the same number of ridges, or one of which (as in the case of No. 44) has an extra 

 ridgelet. I am therefore disposed to conclude that A and B Series represent the last 

 milk-molar of a small form or species of Elephant, whose antepenultimate and penulti- 

 mate milk-teeth are exhibited by PL I. fig. 6 and fig. 8. 



The ridge-formula, therefore, of its milk-molars would stand 5:7:10-11, or, without 

 talons, 3:5: 8-9, which, with the exception of an occasional extra ridge in the lower 

 jaw, is precisely the same as that deduced by Dr. Falconer from the Zebbug collection. 



2. The two upper and two lower molars comprising C Series are distinct from any other 

 specimens in my coUection ; and being from different localities, there is no likelihood 

 that their peculiar outlines are to be ascribed to casual or individual peculiarities. At 

 all events they would appear to claim the position of true molars, each holding eleven 

 ridges. As compared with the last milk-molars of the smallest form, they agree with 



> " On the Mastodon and Elephant," Quart. Journ. Gcol. Soc. vol. xxi. p. 317. 

 ■ Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. vi. pi. 53. fig. 5. 



