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



posteriorly. The single hollow fang h.as been recently broken off about 0-4 inch 

 below the crown. There is a pressure-hollow 0-.3 inch broad on the upper and 

 posterior side of the fang. The tooth is made up of five ridges, or three plates and 

 two talons. Here the first and last ridges may be called modified ridges ; at all events 

 the posterior fairly claims to be considered a talon. The crown is 0-55 inch in length. 

 The ridges are moderately thick, but not quite so large as in the last. 



The above is probably a lower molar, and does not seemingly diifer in character 

 from the last. The anterior ridge also rises from the common base, but is not quite 

 so large as in fig. 3. 



3. Specimen No. 103 (fig. 4) might, from the figure, be considered a good deal 

 larger than either of the foregoing ; and this is the case to a trifling extent ; but from 

 injui7 some time or other there is a lengthening of the crown which is not natural. The 

 enamel also of the posterior talon has been denuded, and the single hollow fang was 

 broken off recently at about 0-5 inch below the crown. The pressure-hollow, 0*3 inch 

 in breadth, and a scar are well seen on the back part of the fang. There is no indi- 

 cation of wear on the crown, which from its narrow front might have belonged to the 

 lower jaw. The first and last ridges claim the character of talons, being simple splints. 

 It contains the same ridge-formula as the last. The length is about 0'6 inch. 



The ridges in this and fig. 5 are almost the same thickness. From its breadth the 

 above may have been an upper tooth. 



4. No. 109 (fig. 6) is a well-worn crown. There is seemingly a trace of an anterior 

 ridge which had been worn out, possibly by pressure or attrition, leaving the enamel 

 of the next bare and rough. The flat, single, straight, solid fang is entire. It is com- 

 pressed laterally, with a small opening at the extremity for the nutrient vessels, and is 

 0-8 inch in length. The enamel on the posterior ridge has been denuded, and there 

 are two caries-like erosions, one immediately under the crown behind, and another 

 in front. 



Although only three ridges remain, it may be there were two more. The length of 

 the crown is 0-4 inch, and, although well worn, shows no pattern of any value for 

 comparison with succeeding teeth. 



The enamel of the plates in this molar is not seemingly so thick, nor are the plates as 

 in any of the preceding ; and altogether the tooth would appear to have belonged to a 

 smaller animal. 



Mr. Busk has kindly allowed me to compare Admiral Spratt's collection of Zebbug 

 molars, figured and described by Dr. Falconer, with the above ; and seeing that, com- 

 bined with my own, they comprise all the first or second milk-teeth of the Maltese 

 Elephants yet discovered, I must briefly refer to them also. 



The similarity between the lower tooth described by Falconer' and the last is very 

 striking, even in the caries-like erosions just under the crown, posteriorly, where a 

 ' PalEeont. Mem. vol. ii. p. 297 and pi. xii.; Trans. Zool. Soo. vol. vi. p. 53. fig. 2. 



